OVERVIEW

'I Can't Eat, Speak, or Kiss My Wife. It's Half a Life, but at Least I'm Still Alive.' Navigating the Sequelae of Head and Neck Cancer is organized by American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM).

Activity Published: 08/13/2021
Activity Expires: 10/13/2024

Overview:
Depending on age, stage and HPV status, patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer have a high chance of cure, something that can be elusive in other advanced cancers. To achieve cure, patients undergo intense treatment regimens, including a long course of radiation, cytotoxic chemotherapy and sometimes disfiguring surgery. Treatments are often accompanied by significant physical, emotional and spiritual pain and other forms of suffering. While the promise of cure is alluring, the physical and psychological impacts of treatment can devastate patients. Patients may be left with visible facial scars, a changed or absent voice, a tracheostomy, and a gastrostomy tube, pieces of hardware that are often initially introduced as temporary supports but often become life-long necessities.

During and after completion of treatment, a multidisciplinary team including otolaryngology, oncology, radiation-oncology, speech therapy, nutrition, psychology and palliative medicine can help support the individual needs of patients as they grapple with and navigate the process of regaining a sense of self, even if cured. Patients often describe how eating, talking, and kissing, usually regular activities and simple pleasures in a normal life, are vastly different and complicated in their post-treatment lives. While most patients express joy for cure and deep gratitude for their lives, the adjustment to the new normal may lead to dissonant emotions and possibly regrets regarding treatment choices. Patients often lament the burden of a challenging and complex recovery that persists long after cure.

In this concurrent session, our interdisciplinary panel will review sequelae of head and neck cancer treatment and discuss treatment options for the major complications and persistent distressing symptoms. We will explore the physical and emotional challenges faced by head and neck cancer patients. In addition, we will discuss the integration of an interdisciplinary team approach into the usual care and current model of survivorship.

Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this activity the learner should be better able to:

Describe four major sequelae of head and neck cancer treatment, including dysphagia, dysphonia, disfiguration and pain
Describe the palliative care needs of patients with treated head and neck cancer, including the psychological burdens of being cured of cancer, while continuing to have significant residual sequelae
Develop and implement actionable strategies for head and neck cancer patients that integrate palliative care approaches into the oncology practice during treatment and in survivorship