CHONC case studies
CHONC · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Certified Head and Neck Oncologist (CHONC) credential is intended for clinicians who manage cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, sinonasal tract, salivary glands, thyroid, and skin of the head and neck, and who want a structured way to demonstrate depth beyond general oncology or otolaryngology training. Candidates typically come from surgery, radiation oncology, medical oncology, and related specialties working within multidisciplinary teams. The CHONC case studies are 5 cases and about 2,195 words.
1Newly diagnosed T2N2b oral tongue cancer with a borderline resectable neck and a heavy smoking history
A 58-year-old man presents with a 3.5 cm left lateral oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma with 1.5 cm depth of invasion, fixed to the floor of mouth. He has a 2.5 cm level II lymph node with extracapsular extension suspected on MRI (irregular margins, stranding) and a 1 cm level III node.
518 words, about 3 min2Recurrent laryngeal cancer after chemoradiation: salvage surgery versus re-irradiation
A 64-year-old woman with a T3N0 glottic SCC was treated 3 years ago with definitive concurrent chemoradiation (70 Gy, cisplatin). She now has a persistent, biopsy-proven local recurrence at the true vocal cord with supraglottic extension, 2.5 cm, without nodal or distant disease on PET-CT.
441 words, about 2 min3Elderly patient with advanced hypopharyngeal cancer and competing comorbidities
An 82-year-old woman presents with a T4aN2c hypopharyngeal SCC with 4 cm of supraglottic and pyriform sinus involvement, bilateral level II–III nodes, and no distant disease. She lives alone, has mild cognitive impairment (MMSE 24), hypertension, and stage 3 chronic kidney disease (eGFR 38).
440 words, about 2 min4Postoperative management after oral cavity resection with a positive margin and a chyle leak
A 55-year-old man underwent a composite resection of a T3N2b floor-of-mouth SCC with mandibulectomy and fibula free flap reconstruction, plus bilateral neck dissection. Final pathology shows a 1 mm close margin at the mandible and a 2 mm margin at the soft tissue, with 2 of 28 nodes positive and no ECE.
412 words, about 2 min5Implementing a same-day diagnostic pathway for suspected head and neck cancer in a resource-limited clinic
You are the clinical lead of a community otolaryngology clinic serving a rural region. Patients with suspected head and neck cancer currently wait a median of 21 days for a first visit and 14 more days for biopsy, with a 30% loss to follow-up.
384 words, about 2 min