Home - SPOHNC: Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer

Home - SPOHNC: Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer
Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer
SPOHNC is dedicated to raising awareness and meeting the needs of oral and head and neck cancer patients through its resources and publications.
Your Guide to Head and Neck Cancer
An Animated Patient® Guide to Head and Neck Cancer.
Intended for patients with head and neck cancer, caregivers, and those who are interested in learning about head and neck cancer.
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Connecting with others who understand your journey can provide invaluable support and information.
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Video Series: You Are Not Alone
View our new series where oral, head, and neck cancer survivors share their stories and experiences.
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Your Intelligent Nutrition Assistant
Join us for a webinar on expert nutrition tips and learn more about Ina®. Brought to you by SavorHealth® and SPOHNC.
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SPOHNC Programs & Resources
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News from SPOHNC
SPOHNC Store
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Your Guide to Head and Neck Cancer
An Animated Patient® Guide to Head and Neck Cancer.
Intended for patients with head and neck cancer, caregivers, and those who are interested in learning about head and neck cancer.
Our Mission
SPOHNC is dedicated to raising awareness and meeting the needs of oral and head and neck cancer patients through its resources and publications.
Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer (SPOHNC) pronounced “Spunk” is a nonprofit organization involved in the development of programs of support. As such it can have an enormous positive impact on meeting the psychosocial needs of patients as well as preserving, restoring and promoting physical and emotional health.
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Recent SPOHNC Blog Posts
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A new era: Adding immunotherapy to surgical management of head and neck cancer
Written By: Ravindra Uppaluri, MD., PhD Treatments have not changed for many years   For over two decades, the management of many locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) has involved up front surgery followed by radiation plus...
November 4, 2025
Advancing Treatment with AI
Written by: Alexander T. Pearson, MD, PhD The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC) has the potential to significantly improve treatment outcomes for patients. By taking advantage of the capabilities of AI...
December 10, 2024
Long Term Side Effects of Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer Survivors
Written by: James Suen, MD It is a privilege for me to share some of my experiences that may or could affect your health. I have had the opportunity to treat patients with head and neck cancer for more that...
May 10, 2024
Sinonasal Malignancies and Cancer of the Nasopharynx
Written by: Dr. London, MD Sinonasal malignancies, tumors that arise inside the nose and nearby sinus area, are an uncommon subset of head and neck cancer. These are a diverse group of malignancies and include sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC),...
May 10, 2024
SPOHNC Launches #lifeAhead April Awareness Campaign
Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer (SPOHNC) Launches #lifeAhead to Celebrate Survivorship this Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month Campaign Features Compelling Stories to Emphasize there is “#lifeAhead” After Your Cancer Diagnosis. Click here to...
April 1, 2024
Dental Implants After Head and Neck Cancer
Written by: Ryan S. Lee, DDS, MPH, MHA, FAGD, FICOI, DIDIA Yes, You May Be a Candidate, with Caveats and Clinical Considerations! (Part 1 of 2) Every cancer survivor I know is a hero in a unique way. The thousands...
March 24, 2023
Next Generation Cell Therapies Fighting HPV Positive Head and Neck Cancers
Written by: Ricardo Zwirtes, MD Vice President of Clinical Development, SQZ Biotechnologies As we continue to search for more effective treatments for head and neck cancers, cell therapy is an exciting field within immunotherapy that offers significant promise. Though there...
April 1, 2022
Recurrent/Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: Approach to Treatment and Future Directions
Written by Dan P. Zandberg, MD Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common cancer that originates in the head and neck. The most frequent primary sites of origin in the United States are oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx. While...
October 1, 2021
Adding Dental Coverage to Medicare Could Be Crucial For Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Patients and Survivors
Written by Wey-Wey Kwok, JD The Center for Medicare Advocacy (CMA) is a non-profit, public interest law organization headquartered in Connecticut and Washington, D.C., that works to advance access to comprehensive Medicare coverage, health equity, and quality health care for...
September 1, 2021
Scientific Progress in Managing Treatment Side Effects for Head and Neck Cancer Survivors
Written by Ron J. Karni, MD  Head and neck cancer patients are experiencing increasing rates of survivorship. This also means many patients are living with the side effects of head and neck cancer treatment. Common side effects I hear from...
May 1, 2021
Cell Free HPV DNA: A new diagnostic and predictive test for HPV oropharynx cancer
Written by Marshall Posner, MD & Eric Genden, MD, MHCA, FACS A large shift in the causes and natural history of head and neck cancer has radically changed the prognosis and survival of a significant fraction of patients in the...
April 1, 2021
An Essay On Hope
Written by David Hood (Posted on December 19, 2014)  “Hold fast to dreams,For if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged bird,That cannot fly.” —Langston Hughes, poet  What is Hope? Desmond Tutu said, “Hope is being able to see that there is light...
December 1, 2020
Exploring Innovation in Cancer Therapy with Nanophysics
We find ourselves in an exciting time for innovation in the treatment of head and neck cancer. New treatments such as immunotherapy and increased precision in the delivery of radiation are examples of methods that are being evaluated in clinical...
October 20, 2020
Swallowing Assessment for Head and Neck Cancer Survivors: Expectations and Outcomes
Written by Bonnie Martin-Harris, PhD, CCC-SLP, BRS-S It doesn’t take an expert in swallowing disorders to inform a group of head and neck cancer survivors and their families that impaired swallowing is one of the most common, yet frustrating, results...
September 1, 2020
Coronavirus and COVID-19: What People With Cancer Need to Know
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is aware that people with cancer and cancer survivors, particularly those with compromised immune systems, are likely worried about the potential impact of COVID-19 on their health. Patients should talk with their oncologists...
June 1, 2020
Proton Therapy to Reduce Side Effects in Head and Neck Cancer
Brian C. Baumann, MD; Kelly M. MacArthur, MD Head and neck cancer patients require specialist care from surgeons, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists. Patients with larger or more advanced disease who are treated with surgery will frequently receive post-operative radiation...
April 1, 2020
Physical Therapy From Diagnosis and Beyond
Written by Lisa M. Miller, DPT From the time of initial cancer diagnosis, there are things you can do to help your quality of life and outlook for each day throughout your cancer treatment plan. Many people have either heard...
March 1, 2020
Journaling Your Cancer Journey Benefits of Expressive Writing for People with Cancer
Written by Lynne Eldridge, MD Journaling, or “expressive writing” is a creative and emotional outlet for many people with cancer. In addition to being a way to chronicle your journey and clarify your thoughts, some people have found that writing...
December 15, 2019
Taking The Healing Aspect of Music Further
Written by: Sara Chigani, MA, MT-BC “Oh, I’m not musical” or “I only play the radio” are a couple of typical answers I get after introducing myself as a music therapist. Yes, music is healing and as a board-certified music...
November 15, 2019
Less Intensive Treatment May Be Possible For Some Patients with HPV-Associated Head and Neck Cancer
Written By: Katharine Price, MD In my experience as a head and neck medical oncologist, fear of long-term side effects of cancer treatment is second only to the fear of cancer recurrence. Treating the head and neck region using surgery,...
October 15, 2019
An Enlightening Summer Research Experience: Using Light Treatment for Oral Cancer Carez
Written by Jaeyoung Choi and Praveen Arany, BDS, MDS, MMSc, PhD  Upon completing my first year at Dental School, I was looking at getting involved with dental research this summer to learn more about progress in the field of clinical...
September 15, 2019
Proton Therapy Success with Head and Neck Cancer
Imagine a 196-ton, cancer-killing machine that can target a patient’s cancer with sub-millimeter precision while sparing nearby healthy tissues and minimizing side effects. In its most simple terms, that’s proton therapy. Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation treatment...
May 15, 2019
How Integrative Oncology Services Can Help Those Affected by Head and Neck Cancers
Written by Santosh Rao, MD Head and neck cancers, occurring in such a sensitive area of the body, can pose a number of issues for those undergoing treatment. The mainstays of curative treatment are surgery and/or radiation, both of which...
May 15, 2019
Recurrent and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer
Written by Geoffrey Neuner, MD  It is an understatement to say head and neck cancer is a challenging disease for patients, caregivers and clinicians. Curative treatment consists of either surgery, radiation or both, often combined with cytotoxic chemotherapy. The individual...
April 15, 2019
Head and Neck Cancer Pain: Opioid Use and Alternatives
Written by Jessica McDermott, MD Introduction Anyone who currently has or who has survived head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) can tell you that the cancer itself and the treatment involved can cause significant pain. The location of the...
February 15, 2019
Acupuncture Following Head and Neck Cancer Treatment
Richard C. Niemtzow, MD, PhD, MPH Xerostomia Xerostomia or dry mouth is caused by a disturbance of the salivary glands. This is especially prevalent among head and neck oncology patients who have experienced chemotherapy, radiation and surgery for their head...
October 24, 2018
Potential Side Effects of Immunotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer
Dan Zandberg, MD Introduction Currently, two immunotherapy medications, Nivolumab (Opdivo) and Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) are approved in the USA for recurrent and or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck (HNSCC) after a patient received and failed “platinum” based chemotherapy....
June 13, 2018
Why Are Clinical Trials Important?
Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD Clinical trials are a key research tool for advancing medical knowledge and patient care. Clinical research is done only if doctors do not know whether a new approach works well in people and is safe...
April 3, 2018
Cure is Not Enough: Why Survivorship Matters for Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Liza Murray, APRN & Allen M. Chen, MD What is cancer survivorship? Survivorship focuses on the health and life of a person with cancer from initiation of treatment until the end of life. It covers the physical, psychosocial and economic...
April 3, 2018
Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship Part II: Other Essentials
Liza Murray, APRN & Allen M. Chen, MD We’re back! We’d like to expand on our survivorship topics from September’s newsletter and highlight more survivorship challenges for head and neck cancer patients. We appreciate the feedback and insight from our...
April 3, 2018
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Become A SPOHNC MEMBER
It has been wonderful help for me and my husband. We have learned so much as well as received much encouragement.
– Robbie D.
Charlottesville, VA
Now, I’m blessed to be able to give back to a great organization like SPOHNC. Without organizations like this, the tough journey of so many patients would be all but impossible.
– John D.
Glad to see SPOHNC is still going strong 20 years after we needed them. A very supportive and informative organization, specifically for people with head and neck cancer.
– Twitter Bluethruandthru
Thanks for everything you do. When I was diagnosed. SPOHNC was the only reliable source of info for OHNC patients and families.
– Valerie T.
We are so thankful for the amazing support my dad received from his match volunteer. I hope I can also be a light in someone’s journey as a caregiver.
– Ana C.
Stay up to date with the latest news and research.
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Stories of Inspiration
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Jeff’s Story
Finding the Right Clinical
Trial is Key
Gene’s Story
Understanding the Education
Process of the Cancer Journey
Dennis’s Story
The Importance of Patience
Gary’s Story
Faith, Family, and The
Desire to Heal
Valerie’s Story
Living My Life
Bob’s Story
Healing Emotional and
Physical Effects of Cancer
Bill and Linda Clyne’s Story
Reflections of a Caregiver
Six Years “After” Cancer
Are you looking for support?
If you or your loved one is looking for emotional or educational support, visit our supportive care page today. Get connected to our supportive network or receive guidance.
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Clinical Trials
SPOHNC’s work is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors and partners. Below, you can learn more about our collaborators and the clinical trials currently underway to advance care for head and neck cancer patients.
If you are interested in finding a clinical trial that may be right for you or a loved one, please visit our Clinical Trial Finder or explore the opportunities listed below.
Featured clinical trials are shared for educational purposes only and do not represent an endorsement of any specific study.
Find A Trial
More Info
1.1 million
New cases of head and neck cancer are diagnosed globally.
60,000
Impacted by oral, head, and neck cancer per year.
12,000
Monthly SPOHNC chapter support groups.
600 +
Supported through our helpline in a year.
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