New HPV Staging Guidelines Important to Patients Treatment

When Bill Klosterboer was diagnosed with a stage 3 cancer at the back of his tongue in June 2014, all he and his wife, Laurie, heard was the word “cancer.”

The stage of his disease didn’t really register, although he recalls being glad it wasn’t stage 4, the worst possible option.

For us, personally, it was a matter of ‘OK, I’ve got cancer, let’s make a decision and get rid of it,’ ” said Klosterboer, a Lincoln resident.

Dr. William Lydiatt, head and neck surgical oncologist at Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center in Omaha, said the new staging system is important to patients.

Omaha World-Herald's Julie Anderson: New system helps doctors differentiate between HPV-related and smoking-related throat cancers