title: Psychological factors associated with head and neck cancer treatment and survivorship: evidence and opportunities for behavioral medicine.
abstract: Individuals diagnosed with head and neck cancer (HNC) not only face a potentially life-threatening diagnosis but must endure treatment that often results in significant, highly visible disfigurement and disruptions of essential functioning, such as deficits or complications in eating, swallowing, breathing, and speech. Each year, approximately 650,000 new cases are diagnosed, making HNC the 6th most common type of cancer in the world. Despite this, however, HNC remains understudied in behavioral medicine. In this article, the authors review available evidence regarding several important psychosocial and behavioral factors associated with HNC diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, as well as various psychosocial interventions conducted in this patient population, before concluding with opportunities for behavioral medicine research and practice.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Iowa City Healthcare System, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA. matthew-howren@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: M Bryant
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Howren
authors.forename: Alan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Lucy Hynds
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Karnell
authors.forename: Gerry F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Funk
mesh_terms: D001524:Behavioral Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D015996:Survival Rate; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*