Head & Neck Cancer Patient & Family

04/11/2026

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/fullarticle/2855839

This cohort study assesses the association of early survivorship care with radiotherapy adherence and disease-free survival in patients with head and neck cancer.

02/11/2026

“Cancer Screenings: The Right Test for the Right Person at the Right Time” was the final Wolper Wellbeing Forum for 2026.

Screening for Cancer: https://www.health.gov.au/topics/cancer/screening-for-cancer

🦘 In a lively panel discussion five experts gave concise overviews of the four free screening programs in Australia, including Prof Vivienne Milch, Medical Director, Cancer Australia who advises the Australian Government on these screening programs:
-National Bowel Cancer Screening;
-National Cervical Cancer Screening;
-National Breast Cancer Screening; &
-National Lung Cancer Screening.

The panel outlined the work to eliminate Cervical Cancer in Australia with screening & the HPV vaccine. The HPV vaccine is also expected to reduce the incidence of other HPV-related cancers: vaginal, vulval, a**l, oropharyngeal.

Specialist Urologist Dr David Endee explained the latest data and evidence on the value of screening for prostate cancer by GPs and urologists using the PSA test and physical examination. New Guidelines on Prostate Cancer Screening for GPs have just been released.

Dr Lesley Andrews, Head, Heredity Cancer Clinic, Prince of Wales Hospital explained screening for high risk groups, including the JeneScreen Genetic Screening program run by Wolper Jewish Hospital for members of the Jewish community. JeneScreen: https://www.genetics.wolper.com.au/our-programs/brca-program/

🌼 🫁 A/Prof Rachel Dodd, The Daffodil Centre updated us on the life-saving achievements of the relatively new National Lung Cancer Screening Program.

Gynaecological Oncologist, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse explained gynaecological cancers, including ovarian and vulval, and whether screening was possible.

The fact that there are not screening tests for some cancers, including HPV-related mouth cancers and oropharyngeal cancers. The current research on Liquid Biopsies, including saliva tests, was briefly discussed.

A recording of this valuable discussion will be available shortly here: https://wolper.com.au/wellbeing/

Thank you to the Wolper Wellbeing Forum team for the 2026 program, including Ruth Guth, Michelle Stockley, Dr Lina Safro and Dr Carmella Mielke.

02/11/2026

🌳 When I was recovering from my cancer treatment over 13 years ago, I spent months sitting in my chair overlooking this park. This is a rare moment when only the birds are here. Soon many dog walkers will gather and chat as their hounds run around. Tennis players will bring the steady beat of rackets on balls in the public tennis courts. At times the local public school brings students for school sports. After school there are soccer teams doing practice. Cricket practice. More dog walkers. On weekends the park bustles with activity. Parents bring children to play and kick balls. It reminds me of an English common. A gentle hive of activity.

When I was recovering, the sounds of life floated up from the park into the room where I was sitting. I remember feeling comfort from those sounds, especially during the period where I had lost the capacity to speak and to swallow solid food due to the treatment for my throat cancer. I felt I could tap into the life force I could hear from the people in the park. When people visited me and sat opposite me, I could feel their life force and I drew on it in some way I can’t explain.

I had received 33 sessions of radiotherapy and weekly chemotherapy. Fatigue was a key side effect. I was also on strong pain relief, including opioids, to help me cope with side effects while my body healed. So I was subdued in a deep way. My life force was low. It was like when you cook with gas and you turn the gas down very low to simmer food. My flame 🔥 was low.

As I sit here now, listening to the sounds of the park coming to life, as my body experiences the memories, I am so grateful to be alive.

01/11/2026

Thank you to NZSOHNS for inviting me to speak at this year’s ASM in Auckland. I presented on contemporary management of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer, surgical management of obstructive sleep apnoea and immunotherapy in head and neck cancer.

The conversations between sessions were just as valuable. Hearing about a different healthcare system highlighted how much we share across the Tasman, including the challenges of providing timely care within stretched and underfunded public health services.

Connecting with colleagues in Aotearoa New Zealand is particularly meaningful in my role as the RACS Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery representative for both countries. Understanding their experiences helps me better represent our specialty.

Lovely, too, to spend time with fellow Australian invited speakers Dr Eric Levi, Prof Catherine Birman, Dr Hannah Burns and Dr Amanda Richards, pictured here.

Thank you to our New Zealand colleagues for the warm welcome and generous exchange of ideas.

30/10/2026

☢️ ✅ Supportive Care in Cancer.
Pre-radiotherapy multidisciplinary survivorship care and patient-reported outcomes in head and neck cancer survivors

✅ ✅ Conclusions
Receiving pre-radiotherapy multidisciplinary survivorship care was associated with higher QOL and lower symptom burden and psychological distress among HNC survivors. These findings support implementing proactive survivorship care in clinical practice to improve health outcomes in HNC.

Purpose This study aims to evaluate the association between receiving pre-radiotherapy multidisciplinary survivorship care and patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) pertaining to quality of life (QOL), symptom burden, and psychological distress at one-year post-radiotherapy among head and neck....

18/10/2026

🇬🇧 Specialist long-term effects clinic at Southend Hospital.



“A new service in Southend is helping cancer patients cope with long-term effects of treatment which can emerge months or even years later.

“Southend Hospital has launched a specialist long-term effects clinic for people who have undergone treatment for head and neck cancer.

“The clinic is only the second of its kind in the UK and will support patients experiencing difficulties including swallowing, speech, eating and taste.”

https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/26638308.specialist-long-term-effects-clinic-southend-hospital/

12/10/2026

🩺 🎓Thanks to Liana, a Nasopharyngeal Cancer Survivor, for telling the story of her diagnosis, treatment and recovery to a tutorial group of 3rd Year Medical Students today at Adelaide University.

Nick was one of the 12 students who listened intently and asked many thoughtful questions.

Liana had a golf-ball sized tumour behind her nose. It was treated with and after her diagnosis three years ago. Liana has returned to work. Medical and Allied Health appointments are still part of her life. Her regular follow-up appointments will continue for five years.

Nasopharyngeal Cancer: https://www.headandneckcancer.org.au/types-of-head-neck-cancer/nasopharyngeal-cancer/

“The ‘Survivors as Teachers’ program is hosted by Cancer Voices SA. The program began in 2012. It brings individuals with lived cancer experience—patients, families, and carers—into medical education.

“In small-group tutorials at Adelaide University Medical School, survivors share their stories, highlighting the whole-of-life impact of a cancer diagnosis and what helped (or didn’t) in their care journey.

“This program helps future healthcare professionals understand:
- The human side of cancer care beyond medical treatment.
- The emotional, social, and practical challenges of a cancer diagnosis.
- How to treat patients with compassion, respect and empathy.” Cancer Voices SA.

More information: https://cancervoicessa.org.au/involvement-2/survivors-as-teachers/

As a fellow-survivor of a Head and Neck Cancer - oropharyngeal cancer in the lower throat - it was deeply moving to hear Liana’s story. She was a 22 year old university student at the time of her diagnosis. It clearly has an emotional impact for young medical students to hear about the cancer experience from someone they can easily identify with.

Shona Edwards and Daniel Johnstone from Cancer Voices SA developed a poster about the Survivors As Teachers program during COVID. The poster is shown here with Shona at a COSA Survivorship Conference in Adelaide.

The next National COSA Survivorship Conference is in Adelaide 25-26 February 2027: https://www.cancersurvivorshipconference.org.au/

10/10/2026

🚗 Driving through Wagga Wagga NSW yesterday, Wiradjuri country, I remembered my trip to Wagga Wagga 13 years ago. I was in town in 2013 to MC a fundraising event for a local Women’s Health Centre and I was taken on a tour of the Army training base Kapooka.

🧗🏽‍♀️I was invited to abseil down this training tower and, with the help of a very strong Army woman on the end of a rope on the ground, I managed to overcome my fear and do it.

💫 My courage and physicality that day has great significance in my life.

⚡️ It was only weeks later that I was diagnosed with Stage 4 oropharyngeal cancer. It was throat cancer caused by the HPV virus.

😳 Everyone diagnosed with cancer experiences shock. I was astounded. All I had was a persistent sore throat, an odd ear ache and two small lumps on my neck. I felt strong 💪 and brave.

😧 The point of my story? I am just remembering how quickly life can change. And feeling empathy for all my fellow patients who’ve experienced this shock and sudden transition.

😰 I experienced great fear during my challenging but successful treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. I felt scared like a child. Like thousands of others before me, I made it through with support from a multidisciplinary cancer team, my partner and adult children and good friends. Not everybody makes it and that is tough to witness. I send deep empathy to anyone reading this who has lost someone you love to cancer.

🧗🏽‍♀️I’m so glad I abseiled down that tower that day. If you look at the top of the tower, you’ll see that when you start the descent you cannot initially see the bottom of the tower. You have to drop into the unknown. As I faced the anxieties of cancer treatment and recovery from the side effects, my memory of my courage that day helped me stay steady.

09/10/2026

🇬🇧 Cancer survivor receives artificial tongue in NHS first.

“A cancer survivor has spoken of her joy after being fitted with what is thought to be the first bespoke artificial tongue on the NHS.” https://www.itv.com/news/2026-10-07/cancer-survivor-receives-artificial-tongue-in-nhs-first

06/10/2026

“Maskless head and neck radiotherapy using surface‐guided radiation therapy: initial clinical feasibility of real‐time setup, intrafraction monitoring, and automatic beam‐hold.”

“A thermoplastic‐maskless head and neck workflow using SGRT, CBCT verification, predefined beam‐hold thresholds, and dorsal shell support was feasible in this initial 10‐patient experience, maintaining small observed intrafraction motion while directly addressing mask intolerance. Larger prospective evaluation with validated patient‐reported outcomes, dosimetric a**lysis, and multi‐institutional QA is warranted.”

Article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13615301/