Professor Liz Ward, Director of the Centre for Functioning and Health Research, along with colleagues from both Metro South and the international health community are taking the multidisciplinary approach of Head and Neck Cancer care to the next level. The third edition of Head and Neck Cancer: Treatment, Rehabilitation and Outcomes, captures the newest advances in medical treatment, an expanded allied health perspective and explores the challenges of psychological care and survivorship.
The newest edition captures the rapid evolution of treatment methods and the growing understanding of the multidisciplinary approach necessary for effective patient care.
"We began to consider a third edition in early 2020 recognising all the substantial changes in treatments and care protocols that had occurred since the second edition released in 2014. Although the pandemic forced us to postpone starting the revision till 2023, it also allowed us to incorporate new valuable insights into how to better support patients during situations such as a pandemic," said Professor Ward.
While the first edition was originally aimed at speech pathologists, the third edition has expanded to encompass the diverse roles of the wider group of allied health professionals, including physiotherapists, dietitians, occupational therapists, and psychologists.
"This edition reflects a more integrated approach to care,"
"We wanted to emphasise that head and neck cancer management is a team effort. Every allied health professional plays a critical role in addressing the complex needs of patients."
The text includes patient case studies, personal narratives, and contributions from almost 60 authors from around the globe, 6 of those based in Metro South Health, ensuring a comprehensive perspective on head and neck cancer care.
"It's important that our content is relevant to clinicians worldwide,"
"We took into account various healthcare models and systems, ensuring that the book can be a practical resource for anyone working in this field."
Incorporating multimedia resources, including videos and audio materials, the textbook, already in over 1500 libraries around the world, aims to provide clinicians with practical examples and tools for better patient care.
"These resources will help practitioners recognise potential complications early and prepare for the unique challenges each patient may face,"
Allied Health support for head and neck cancer is relatively young in in the concept of care, and particularly now there are new approaches to managing head and neck cancer.
“We need to make sure that our allied health teams are on top of changes in care and know how to work together. Unfortunately, the management of cancers of the head and neck results often in lifelong functional deficits that often need a team approach to help manage them.”
“It’s also important to help the patient understand what their treatment journey may be like, and to reassure them that they have all these fantastic supports and resources in their team around them to support them the whole way.”
“We have such fantastic multidisciplinary teams to support our patients with head and neck cancer here in Australia, and I truly believe that we are fortunate to offer the public health services that we do for patients.”
This new edition of the textbook is now available in both print and digital formats, ensuring that healthcare professionals around the world can access this invaluable resource.
"Ultimately, this textbook is not just a resource; it represents the collaborative spirit of the healthcare community,"
"Our patients inspire us to innovate and continuously improve care."
With a strong commitment to patient-centred, multidisciplinary approaches, the field of head and neck cancer care is poised to make even greater strides in the years to come.