Pitt Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Head & Neck Cancer Survivorship

Pitt Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Head & Neck Cancer Survivorship Being diagnosed with head and neck cancer often raises an important question: What’s next?

Survivorship begins at diagnosis and extends well beyond treatment, addressing the full spectrum of needs individuals may face as they return to daily life.

🌟 Survivorship Team Highlight! 🌟We’re proud to spotlight Vanessa Shehu, who presented at the Multidisciplinary Head & Ne...
02/20/2026

🌟 Survivorship Team Highlight! 🌟

We’re proud to spotlight Vanessa Shehu, who presented at the Multidisciplinary Head & Neck Cancer Symposium.

Her presentation:
🔬 Evaluation of To***co and Alcohol Usage on the Efficacy of Anti-PD-1 mAb Therapy in Recurrent/Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head & Neck (R/M HNSCC)

Her research explores how lifestyle-related risk factors may influence immunotherapy response, contributing to more personalized treatment strategies and improved outcomes for patients with recurrent and metastatic head and neck cancer.

Join us in celebrating this important contribution to multidisciplinary cancer care! 👏

🌟 Survivorship Team Highlight! 🌟We’re proud to spotlight Nana-Hawwa Abdul-Rahman, who presented at the Multidisciplinary...
02/20/2026

🌟 Survivorship Team Highlight! 🌟
We’re proud to spotlight Nana-Hawwa Abdul-Rahman, who presented at the Multidisciplinary Head & Neck Cancer Symposium.
Her presentations include:
🔬 Pre-Surgery Allostatic Load in Head and Neck Cancer
📊 Prognostic Value of Pre-Treatment Neck vs. Abdominal Adiposity or BMI on Survival Outcomes in Laryngeal Cancer: A PET-CT–Based Analysis
Her work continues to advance our understanding of survivorship, risk stratification, and outcomes in head and neck oncology. Join us in celebrating this important contribution to multidisciplinary cancer care!

🌟 Survivorship Team Highlight 🌟We’re proud to spotlight Marci Lee Nilsen, who will be presenting at the Multidisciplinar...
02/19/2026

🌟 Survivorship Team Highlight 🌟

We’re proud to spotlight Marci Lee Nilsen, who will be presenting at the Multidisciplinary Head & Neck Cancer Symposium.

Dr. Nilsen’s presentation, “Impact of Pre-Radiation Survivorship Clinic Visits on Treatment Adherence in Head & Neck Cancer Patients,” highlights the critical role of early survivorship care in supporting patients throughout treatment. Her work underscores how proactive, patient-centered survivorship interventions can improve adherence, outcomes, and overall quality of care for individuals facing head and neck cancer.

This week, Head & Neck Cancer Survivorship is on the move ✈️We’re heading to the Multidisciplinary Head & Neck Cancer Sy...
02/18/2026

This week, Head & Neck Cancer Survivorship is on the move ✈️

We’re heading to the Multidisciplinary Head & Neck Cancer Symposium in beautiful Palm Desert, California—and the members of the Head and Neck Program are bringing work that reflects the full arc of care.

Marci Lee Nilsen, PhD, RN, CHPN, FAAN, Survivorship Program Director, and colleagues from the Pitt Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center will be presenting research spanning treatment adherence, radiation-related toxicity, immunotherapy, biomarkers, and survivorship outcomes—highlighting a truly multidisciplinary approach to improving care for patients with head and neck cancer.

Dr. Nilsen is especially looking forward to presenting her poster on the impact of pre-radiation survivorship clinic visits on treatment adherence. As survival improves, there is a responsibility to move upstream—integrating structured survivorship care earlier in the treatment trajectory to support adherence, function, and long-term quality of life.

The science being presented reinforces what we see every day in clinic:

📣 Survival is not the finish line.📣

What happens after treatment completion—function, symptom burden, and quality of life—matters just as much.

Looking forward to meaningful conversations, new collaborations, and advancing head and neck cancer research and survivorship care—together.

Welcome to the official page of the UPMC Head & Neck Cancer Survivorship program at the University of Pittsburgh Departm...
02/16/2026

Welcome to the official page of the UPMC Head & Neck Cancer Survivorship program at the University of Pittsburgh Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery!
Our program brings together research, science, and compassionate patient care to support individuals beyond their cancer diagnosis—with dedicated research designed to be implemented into future models of care. We are committed not only to advancing knowledge, but to translating that research directly into improved survivorship support.
With a coordinated, multidisciplinary team working side by side, we provide comprehensive follow-up care tailored to each patient’s needs. Through coordinated survivorship care—including surgical follow-up, medical management, speech and swallowing rehabilitation, physical therapy, dental care, nutrition counseling, and more—our patients benefit from a team of specialists working together to address every aspect of recovery and long-term health.

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