Stand up for Survivors Head and Neck Cancer
What is Head and Neck Cancer? Head and neck cancer is a group of cancers that starts in any of the below parts of the body:1
Survivor overview Increasing numbers of people are surviving treatment, which can in part be attributed to lifestyle changes (e.g. decline in tobacco use) and earlier diagnosis5
Nose and sinuses
Mouth and lips
Salivary glands
Area at the back of the nose and mouth (nasopharynx)
Voice box (larynx)
Throat (pharynx)
Incidence and Prevalence 600,000 6th
Risk factors 75%
new cases are diagnosed each year globally3
most common type of cancer worldwide2
223,000 people around the world die from head and neck cancer every year2
of head and neck cancer is caused by high consumption of:4 • Tobacco • Alcohol
Other risk factors include:4 • Human papillomavirus • Preserved or salted foods • Oral health
Head and neck cancer is more than twice as common among men as it is among women4
challenges
Long-term Physical Impact
Psychological Effects
Some treatments can be debilitating and patients can face permanent physical changes7,8
Depression is much higher among head and neck cancer survivors than other cancer survivors9
Difficulties swallowing
A loss of taste and smell
Difficulty breathing and speaking
75%
of survivors reported emotional concerns10
80-90%
Fear of recurrence
survival rate for patients diagnosed at an early stage6
50%
acknowledged feelings of worry10
Social disruption Anxiety
Because of increased survivorship, more people need support to adjust to their new lives post treatment
Sadness
Dry mouth
Emotional concerns
Facial disfigurement
1. Head and Neck Cancer. NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/head-and-neck-cancer/. Last accessed September 2018. 2. Head and Neck Cancer. Union for International Cancer Control. 2014 Review of Cancer Medicines on the WHO List of Essential Medicines: Locally Advanced Squamous Carcinoma of the Head and Neck. Available at: http://www.who.int/selection_medicines/committees/expert/20/applications/HeadNeck.pdf. Last accessed September 2018. 3. Head and Neck Cancers. National Institutes of Health. Available at: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/head-and-neck-squamous-cell-carcinoma#statistics. Last accessed September 2018. 4. National Cancer Institute. Head and Neck Cancers. Available at: https:// www.cancer.gov/types/head-and-neck/head-neck-fact-sheet. Last accessed September 2018. 5. Pulte D, Brenner H. Changes in Survival in Head and Neck Cancers in the Late 20th and Early 21st Century: A Period Analysis. The Oncologist. 2010; 15 (9): 994-1001. 6. About Head and Neck Cancer. Signs and Symptoms. Make Sense Campaign. Available at: https://makesensecampaign.eu/en/cancer-information/head-neck-cancer/. Last accessed September 2018. 7. Head and Neck Cancers. About Late Effects. Macmillan Cancer Support. Available at: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/head-and-neck-cancers/coping/side-effects-and-symptoms/late-effects-head-and-neck/late-effects.html. Last accessed September 2018. 8. The Rich Picture. People with Head and Neck Cancer. Macmillan Cancer Support. Available at: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/_images/Head-Neck-Cancer_tcm9-282784.pdf. Last accessed September 2018. 9. Chen A, et al. Depression Among Long-Term Survivors of Head and Neck Cancer Treated With Radiation Therapy. JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery. 2013; 139(9): 885-9. 10. Cohen E, et al. American Cancer Society Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship Care Guideline. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2016; 66(3): 203-39. GBPSIM/NPR/0918/0257
Worry
Survivors may need support and counseling for both their psychological and physical challenges