An Introduction to Head and Neck Cancers With Nurse-Centric Case Discussions

This program was presented as a continuing education regional symposium for oncology nurses.

Release Date: November 2008
Expiration Date: October 2009
Estimated Time to Complete Activity: 1 hour 14 minutes
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Target Audience

This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of oncology nurses who care for patients with head and neck cancers.

Purpose

To educate nurses on the latest treatment and management strategies for patients with head and neck cancers.

Program Overview

Head and neck cancers (HNC) are a complex collection of malignancies. They are differentiated based on histology and tumor location, and many require unique treatment strategies utilizing multimodal, comprehensive, and interdisciplinary approaches. This program will define the different types of HNC and will include disease etiology, staging, and diagnostics. Case presentations will illustrate the role of various treatment modalities, including surgery, induction chemotherapy, chemoradiotherapy, sequential therapies, and targeted therapies. Nursing management strategies of treatment and disease-related side effects with emphasis on the multidisciplinary approach to care along the treatment trajectory will be presented.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this program, participants should be better able to:

HNC 301: An Introduction to Head and Neck Cancers With Nurse-Centric Case Discussions

Identify the various types of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck, their etiology, incidence, and presentation
Explain the role, rationale, and types of surgical interventions
Outline an overview of standard and emerging radiation therapy options including chemoradiotherapy
Identify recent clinical data on the effectiveness of induction, concomitant, and sequential chemotherapy
Describe the current and emerging role of targeted therapies
Discuss postsurgery palliative care for patients
Identify chemoradiotherapy and induction chemotherapy side effects and their optimal nursing management
Describe optimal nursing management of dermatologic side effects caused by EGFR inhibitors
Outline the interdisciplinary role of radiology, speech pathology, surgery, and medical oncology in HNC treatment

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use

This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. IMER, sanofi-aventis U.S., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and ImClone Systems Incorporated, do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications.

The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of IMER, sanofi-aventis U.S., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and ImClone Systems Incorporated. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

IMER requires instructors, planners, managers, and other individuals who are in a position to control the content of this activity to disclose any real or apparent conflict of interest they may have as related to the content of this activity. All identified conflicts of interest are thoroughly vetted by IMER for fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies mentioned in the materials or used as the basis for content, and appropriateness of patient care recommendations.

Disclaimer

Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patients’ conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.

Faculty

Colleen M. O’Leary, MSN, RN, AOCNS®
Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Bio
Abstract

Ms. O’Leary is a staff educator in the medical oncology unit at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago. She will receive her master’s degree in nursing this summer from Loyola University, Chicago, and received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from The Ohio State University, Columbus. Her primary research interests include neutropenia and infection, gastrointestinal cancers and symptom management. Ms. O’Leary has written numerous articles for the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing and was instrumental in the development of the first ONS PEP cards. She is an active member of the Oncology Nursing Society and serves as director at large for the Oncology Nursing Society’s Chicago Chapter.

Colleen O'Leary reported no areas of conflict.

Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are a complex collection of malignancies accounting for approximately 11,000 cancer-related deaths each year. More than 90% of HNCs are squamous cell, and affect the mucosal/epithelial linings. The number one risk factor for developing HNC is tobacco use with incidence rates almost twice as high in men than in women. Additional risk factors include alcohol use, and infection with human papillomavirus (HPV); 26% of patients with HNC are HPV positive. Patients typically present with hoarseness, pain, and difficulty swallowing, which are manifestations related to changes in the function of affected tissues. HNCs are differentiated based on histology and tumor location. Although the standard of care for locoregionally advanced HNCs is the concurrent use of chemotherapy and aggressive radiotherapy, patients continue to experience local/regional recurrence, albeit at a diminished rate. As a result, many require unique treatment strategies utilizing multimodal, comprehensive, and interdisciplinary approaches. This program will provide an introduction to the types of HNCs and include disease etiology, staging, and diagnostics as well as nursing management of treatment- and disease-related side effects with emphasis on the multidisciplinary approach to care along the treatment trajectory. In addition, case presentations will illustrate the role of various treatment modalities including surgery, induction chemotherapy, chemoradiotherapy, sequential therapies, and targeted therapies.

Accreditation Statements

This educational activity for up to 1.23 contact hours will be provided by IMER. IMER is an approved provider of continuing education by the Georgia Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

IMER is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 14763 for up to 1.48 contact hours.

Safeguards Against Commercial Bias

IMER affirms that the content and format of its CE activities and related materials promote improvements and quality in healthcare and do not promote a specific proprietary business interest of a commercial entity. To this end, IMER employs several strategies to ensure the absence of commercial bias, including but not limited to review of all planned content for CE activities sponsored by IMER to ensure adherence to the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s criteria and operational requirements and the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education’s content validation statements and resolution of any actual or perceived conflict of interest that exist. We employ three metrics as we review materials:

1. Fair balance

a.	Recommendations or emphasis must fairly represent and be based on a reasonable and valid interpretation of the information available on the subject matter
b.	No single product or service is overrepresented when other equal competing products or services are available for inclusion

2.	Scientific objectivity of studies mentioned in the materials or used as the basis for content
3.	Appropriateness of patient care recommendations made to learners

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Method of Participation

There are no fees for participating and receiving nursing contact hours for this activity.

Participants must complete the posttest by recording the best answer to each question. Once you finished your test and completed the subsequent evaluation form, click submit test to send your responsed to us. Your test will be immediately reviewed and if you receive a passing grade of 70% or better, you will then be directed to print your certificate online.

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