Head and neck cancer question

My husband's cancer has reocurred.  He has 3 lymph nodes in the jugulodigastric region of his neck.  He has been experiencing a lot of confusion for the last several months.  I am wondering if the lymph nodes are pressing on the carotid artery and causing this.  Is this possible.  Also, he will be having a radical neck dissection soon.  If these nodes are close to the carotid artery, will this present a problem?

thanks.

[Fernando Roque, MD]

Hi. If your husband has been having some neurologic symptoms (e.g. mental confusion) for the past months, the possibility of cancer spreading to his brain should be investigated (probably by means of a CAT scan).  It's rare for head and neck tumors to cause neurologic symptoms by pressing on the carotid artery.  As for the surgery, If the lymph nodes are just close to the carotid, but have not infiltrated the blood vessel, then there should be no problems.  The carotid artery is usually resistant to tumor invasion, and neck node metastases don't usually spread to the carotid itself.