As the head and neck cancer (HNCa) treatment landscape evolves, so do the associated treatment-related toxicity profiles. Understanding the impact of novel oncological treatment approaches on swallowing function and health-related quality of life provides opportunities for multidisciplinary teams to examine dysphagia care practices. In the context of increasing HNCa incidence and improved survival, the burden of treatment toxicities is experienced by a growing number of survivors. In response, speech-language pathology resources devoted to HNCa patients need to be informed by an understanding of the oncological treatment landscape and the potential for identification and management of patients at various points along the survivorship continuum.
This session explores current advances in surgical and organ-preserving oncological treatment of HNCa, as well as advances in swallowing assessment and management, with the potential to support speech-language pathologists in enhancing dysphagia care. Participants will be better equipped to determine dysphagia risk across treatments and to advocate for speech-language pathology involvement across the HNCa survivorship continuum.