Head and
Neck Cancer:
The rates
of patients detected with HPV-related head and neck cancer is rising annually.
By the passing of years, there will be more cases of HPV-related head and neck
cancer than HPV-related cervical cancer. Number of studies have shown that most
patients with this diagnosis are likely to be cured of their disease, placing
an increased emphasis on quality of life and non-cancer outcomes in this
population of survivors. The majority of patients diagnosed with HPV-related
head and neck cancer are working people and it is a serious issue both
financially and psychologically.
How can treatment for Head and Neck Cancer impact
employment?
Treatment
for head and neck cancer involves a combination of chemotherapy and
radiotherapy given over a six to seven week period, often known as
chemo-radiotherapy. This process is considered as toxic and can impact a
patient’s ability to function normally including speaking, chewing, breathing
and swallowing. Many patients require number of supportive medications to get
through treatment including narcotics for pain and anti-nausea medications.
Patients losses on average of 10-15% of their weight within a few months and
can suffer from severe fatigue and post-treatment depression.
For more information, contact:
Iris Jones
Program Manager
For more information and
registration, please visit: