A qualitative analysis of 20 people with head and neck cancer (HNC) has led to recommendations for improvements in care.
HNC has a high burden of treatment-related adverse events, along with frequent trouble with speech, swallowing, facial disfigurement, and psychological distress.
Among cancer patients, "they have the highest rates of emergency department use and hospitalization during treatment. They also have the highest rates of psychological distress. We have some Ontario data that shows they've got the highest rates of suicide and self-harm. So I think this is a really special population that we need to support," Christopher Noel, MD, PhD, said in an interview. Noel was the lead author of the study, which was published in JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery.
These issues can strongly affect quality of life, and even patient outcomes. "Even a 1-day interruption in treatment has been shown to impact oncologic outcomes. This is a very big issue whether you're a surgeon, a medical oncologist, or a radiation oncologist," said Noel, who is a resident physician at the University of Toronto.
He advocates that physicians interview patients and review the results in a structured way and then act on it. "If we just rely on patient [provided] communication, we're going to miss about 50% of patient symptoms," he said.
