Present new tools, techniques and options for management of swallowing-related dysfunction after head and neck cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Outcome Objectives:

Discuss swallowing dysfunction related to head and neck cancer and its treatment

Discuss options for management of swallowing dysfunction in head and neck cancer including novel techniques in systemic and targeted therapy

Background:

Head and neck cancer and its treatment exerts a disproportionate burden on quality of life due to involvement of crucial structures that facilitate speech, swallowing and breathing – vital human traits. Treatment of the disease is necessarily aggressive, and often combined. Direct tumour involvement disrupts functions of the head and neck, but treatment causes similar and prolonged dysfunction. Options to manage dysfunction are limited but desperately needed. This talk will discuss the current and future options for managing swallow dysfunction following head and neck cancer.