Early Survivorship Care Linked to Improved Outcomes in Head, Neck Cancer

TUESDAY, Nov. 3, 2026 (HealthDay News) — For patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), early survivorship care is associated with improved adherence to radiotherapy and improved survival, according to a study published online Oct. 22 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

Marci L. Nilsen, Ph.D., R.N., from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with HNC who completed definitive curative-intent radiotherapy between March 21, 2018, and March 25, 2025, to examine the association between early multidisciplinary survivorship care and outcomes.

Overall, 31.4 percent of the 471 patients in the cohort received early survivorship care and 52.4 percent adhered to radiotherapy. The researchers found that attendees had lower odds of radiotherapy nonadherence (odds ratio, 0.45), lower three-year recurrence risk (subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.62), and improved three-year disease-free survival (hazard ratio, 0.61) in a multivariable analysis adjusting for clinical and sociodemographic factors.

“Survivorship care does vary across cancers, but generally, the standard is that all cancer survivors have access to survivorship resources after treatment,” Nilsen said in a statement. “This study challenges that paradigm. I questioned why we intervene after symptoms and side effects have developed, when we could intervene earlier and hopefully prevent or mitigate them.”

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)