Head and Neck Cancer Pain

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther Caballero-Manrique ◽  
Carlos A. Pino
Keyword(s):  
Head And Neck Cancer ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Neck Cancer ◽  
Central Sensitization ◽  
Radiation Treatment ◽  
Pain Treatment ◽  
Mass Effect ◽  
The United States ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Experience Pain

In the United States, there are 48,000 new cases of head and neck cancer (HNC) annually. Although HNC used to be associated mainly with smoking and drinking, it is now found in many nonsmokers and nondrinkers in their 50s due to the spread of HPV. Pain is typically present at the time of diagnosis. Treatment usually includes radiation, chemotherapy, and/or surgery, which address the mass effect and pain. Yet, patients continue to experience pain during and after treatment, because the treatment modalities can cause significant inflammation and neuropathy and can lead to central sensitization. Painful mucositis is a complication of chemotherapy and radiation treatment; it can become severe, impacting patients’ ability to speak and eat, and sometimes limiting treatment. Pain treatment for HNC is multimodal, and includes preemptive approaches to prevent neuropathy and central sensitization with antiepileptics, such as gabapentin and pregabalin. Mucositis pain is treated using a stepwise protocol.

scholarly journals Management of Patients Undergoing Radiation Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Clinical Guidelines and Perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 1021-1025
Author(s):  
Liza Blumenfeld ◽  
Lisa Evangelista ◽  
Maggie Kuhn ◽  
Kristen Linnemeyer ◽  
Nogah Nativ-Zeltzer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Head And Neck Cancer ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Neck Cancer ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Radiation Treatment ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
The United States ◽  
Transmission Risk ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
Head And Neck Radiation

The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges in providing health care throughout the United States. Despite limitations in in-person clinical care aimed at reducing transmission risk and preserving personal protective equipment, patients with head and neck cancer continue to undergo radiation-based treatment, resulting in the need for adapted care pathways. Speech-language pathologists play an instrumental role in the care of patients undergoing head and neck radiation prior to, during, and following the conclusion of treatment. To address the ad hoc need for guidance on speech-language pathologists management of patients with head and neck cancer during the pandemic, the California Head and Neck Consortium constructed recommendations for best practices before, during, and after chemoradiation therapy, based on the combined experience of several academic medical centers. These guidelines aim to provide a model that maintains high quality of care while minimizing risk of viral exposure to patients and clinicians.

scholarly journals Development of a Web-Based Supportive Care Program for Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn Y. Fang ◽  
Thomas J. Galloway ◽  
Brian L. Egleston ◽  
Jessica R. Bauman ◽  
Barbara Ebersole ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Head And Neck Cancer ◽  
Supportive Care ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Neck Cancer ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Radiation Treatment ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Coping With Cancer ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Web

Patients undergoing radiation treatment for head and neck cancer experience significant side-effects that can impact a wide range of daily activities. Patients often report receiving insufficient information during and after treatment, which could impede rehabilitation efforts; they may also encounter practical and logistical barriers to receipt of supportive care. Thus, we developed a web-based program, My Journey Ahead, to provide information and strategies for managing symptom-focused concerns, which may be easily accessed from the patient’s home. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient acceptability and satisfaction with the My Journey Ahead program. In Phase 1, five patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) reviewed the web-based program and provided initial feedback, which informed program modifications. In Phase 2, 55 patients were recruited to evaluate the program. Patient assessments were obtained prior to and after use of the web-based program, and included measures of psychological distress, self-efficacy in coping with cancer-related issues, and satisfaction with the website. Among the 55 patients enrolled, 44 logged in and viewed the web-based program. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the information received, and indicated that the website was interesting and easy to use. Older age and higher levels of self-efficacy in coping were each associated with higher levels of satisfaction with the website. In summary, the web-based program was well-received by patients, the majority of whom found it to be informative and useful. An easy-to-use web-based program, particularly for older patients who may have difficulty locating reliable evidence-based information on the internet, may be helpful in addressing survivors’ needs in symptom management and coping with cancer.Clinical Trial Registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/, NCT02442336

scholarly journals Medical Gas Plasma Treatment in Head and Neck Cancer—Challenges and Opportunities

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1944
Author(s):  
Julia Berner ◽  
Christian Seebauer ◽  
Sanjeev Kumar Sagwal ◽  
Lars Boeckmann ◽  
Steffen Emmert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Head And Neck Cancer ◽  
Plasma Treatment ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Neck Cancer ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Surgical Approaches ◽  
Novel Treatment ◽  
Gas Plasma ◽  
Medical Gas ◽  
Physical Plasma

Despite progress in oncotherapy, cancer is still among the deadliest diseases in the Western world, emphasizing the demand for novel treatment avenues. Cold physical plasma has shown antitumor activity in experimental models of, e.g., glioblastoma, colorectal cancer, breast carcinoma, osteosarcoma, bladder cancer, and melanoma in vitro and in vivo. In addition, clinical case reports have demonstrated that physical plasma reduces the microbial contamination of severely infected tumor wounds and ulcerations, as is often seen with head and neck cancer patients. These antimicrobial and antitumor killing properties make physical plasma a promising tool for the treatment of head and neck cancer. Moreover, this type of cancer is easily accessible from the outside, facilitating the possibility of several rounds of topical gas plasma treatment of the same patient. Gas plasma treatment of head and neck cancer induces diverse effects via the deposition of a plethora of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that mediate redox-biochemical processes, and ultimately, selective cancer cell death. The main advantage of medical gas plasma treatment in oncology is the lack of adverse events and significant side effects compared to other treatment modalities, such as surgical approaches, chemotherapeutics, and radiotherapy, making plasma treatment an attractive strategy for the adjuvant and palliative treatment of head and neck cancer. This review outlines the state of the art and progress in investigating physical plasma as a novel treatment modality in the therapy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

scholarly journals Epidemiological Trends of Head and Neck Cancer in the United States: A SEER Population Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 75 (12) ◽  
pp. 2562-2572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moustafa Mourad ◽  
Thomas Jetmore ◽  
Ameya A. Jategaonkar ◽  
Sami Moubayed ◽  
Erin Moshier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Head And Neck Cancer ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Population Study ◽  
Neck Cancer ◽  
The United States ◽  
Epidemiological Trends
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