Head and Neck Cancer Surgery

The wait time data provided here are for scheduled tests, treatments and services only. Patients who require emergency care are not placed on a wait list.

Head and neck cancer surgery is managed and provided through a partnership with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and CancerCare Manitoba.

What is Head and Neck Cancer Surgery?

Head and neck cancer surgery is an operation to repair or remove part of the group of cancers found in the head and neck region. The head and neck region includes:

  • oral cavity (mouth);
  • pharynx (throat);
  • thyroid;
  • larynx ("Adam's apple" or voice box);
  • sinuses (small hollow spaces around the nose lined with cells that secrete mucus);
  • nasal cavity (airway just behind the nose); and
  • salivary glands (parotid, submanidular, sublingual glands that secrete saliva).

Data for this head and neck cancer surgery reflects surgery provided for all patients with cancer in the head and neck regions. 

Head and Neck Cancer Surgery Wait Times (Median1)
Priority 1:
Urgent
< 6 weeks to surgery
Priority 2:
Semi-urgent
< 12 weeks to surgery
Priority 3:
Elective
< 24 weeks to surgery
All Priority Levels Combined
5
3
 7 5

Data for September 2024

1 Median wait time: the point at which half the patients have had their treatment, and the other half are still waiting. For example, if a median wait time is 4 weeks, this means that half of the patients waited less than 4 weeks, and half waited more than 4 weeks. The median is another way of reflecting what a "typical" patient might have experienced in that time period. Unlike the average, the median is not generally influenced by one or two very unusual cases (long or short), and is therefore more stable over time.

Cases of Head and Neck Surgery - All Cases Combined
Regional Health Authority
Facility
Total
 (per month)
2024/2025
Fiscal Year to Date1
2023/2024
Fiscal Year1
Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre &
St. Boniface General Hospital		 35 194 503

Data for September 2024

1Fiscal year is April to March.

Disclaimer

Head and Neck Cancer Surgery Historical Information

Historical data for the previous 13 months is available by clicking the link below:

View the historical information here - Excel excel