Working for the Care and Cure of Our Patients 

Welcome to our home on the Web. On behalf of the many skilled and dedicated members of our Center, we invite you to explore and learn about the services we offer to our patients and their families.

More than 50,000 Americans (and more than 750,000 people worldwide) are diagnosed with head and neck cancer every year. Many of these Americans are veterans of our country's military services. In fact, cancers of the head and neck are the third most common solid tissue cancer at our VA medical center.

Head and neck cancers have a tremendous impact on patients' lives. Some of the most basic functions we count on (things that make each of us "human") such as eating and speaking can be taken away by these tumors. Cancer may impair vital senses such as taste, smell, hearing, and sight. It may also affect physical appearance and emotional well-being. Fortunately, in recent years advancements in technology, including organ-sparing treatments and newer surgeries and radiation equipment, have made remarkable improvements in our patients' lifestyle and comfort. We offer these all of these advances to our patients.

Head and neck cancers can be difficult to cure. Until recently, few patients with advanced disease survived for five years. However, exciting progress provides hope that the majority of patients will soon be cured of even the most aggressive tumors. This Center is leading the important research that makes this progress possible. We have research protocols in all aspects of patient care, including treatment, cancer imaging, and quality-of-life.

The VA has a distinguished history improving care for head and neck tumors. The website explains our center's effort to continue this tradition of providing the highest level of treatment and support for our patients in the Pacific Northwest. This website is designed to make our Center, and its people, accessible to you. We not only invite, but also encourage, your questions, calls, or messages.

We understand the commitment our patients made to serve their country. We have created this Center to return this service to both them and to their families when they need it most. Welcome to CHNO.

Bevan Yueh, MD, MPH, Director