National Head and Neck Cancer Audit (NaHaNCA) Feasibility Study Interim Report
The Head and Neck Cancer Coalition UK is proud to support the release of the Patient and Public Summary of the National Head and Neck Cancer Audit (NaHaNCA) Feasibility Study Interim Report. This important work represents a major step towards establishing a new national clinical audit for head and neck cancer in England, following the […]
HPV Awareness Day March 4 2026
The incidence of head and neck cancer has been rising for many years now, despite some changes in smoking and drinking habits. Much of the increase can be attributed to the human papilloma virus (HPV). It causes not only cancer of the cervix but cancers in other locations including the head and neck. HPV vaccination […]
Petition for Free Dental Care
The Swallows Head & Neck Cancer charity, together with other head and neck cancer charities, are currently working on a crucial project to support patients and survivors. The treatment for such cancers, whilst often successful, is brutal and leads to ongoing issues with eating, speaking and oral health. They are currently helping to raise awareness […]
Cost of Living Fund For Head and Neck Patients
The head and neck cancer charity, Get A-Head, has announced a Cost of Living Fund to support people with head and neck cancer, specifically relating to the added cost of living that comes with a cancer diagnosis. Each grant is worth £150 per person, with applications open from 5th January 2026. Further details can be […]
Mouth Cancer Impact Report
November is Mouth Cancer Awareness Month. Coinciding with this, the Oral Health Foundation has just published the results of a comprehensive survey of patients called the Mouth Cancer Impact Report. Key findings include: Late presentation is a significant problem, with more tha half the cases being diagnosed at Stage 4 Treatment of mouth cancer leaves […]
Salivary Gland Cancer Day
What Is Salivary Gland Cancer? Salivary gland cancers are rare with only 0.3% of cancers globally being salivary gland cancers. They can affect the salivary glands (in the mouth) and also secretory glands in other parts of the body (trachea, breast, vulva, skin, lacrimal gland). There are more than 23 different types and there are […]
Novel Head and Neck Cancer Study Using a Vaccine
Head and neck cancer patients are being recruited to a clinical trial AHEAD-MERIT which makes use of BNT113 , a cancer vaccine. The trial will compare the use of BNT113 and pembrolizumab to using pembrolizumab alone. It is aimed at patients whose cancer has come back or metastasised and is linked to the human papilloma […]
Evidence of the Benefit of Immunotherapy
Since 2020, Pembrolizumab has been approved by NICE as an option for untreated metastatic or unresectable recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in adults whose tumours express PD‑L1 with a combined positive score (CPS) of 1 or more. Now, evidence has emerged from a large international clinical trial about the effectiveness of this immunotherapy when […]
Listen to Your Gut Feeling
Cancer survivor Wendy shares her story to raise awareness of head and neck cancer A 58-year-old Worcestershire woman who was diagnosed with a rare aggressive cancer after suffering cold-like symptoms is urging others to trust their instinct if they have ongoing health concerns. Wendy White was diagnosed with mucosal melanoma in January 2023 after […]
Speeding up Head and Neck Cancer Diagnosis
Situation There is a target of a 2-week waiting (2WW) period for a referral for suspected cancer. The number of referrals from primary care, dentists and other sources has risen dramatically and hospitals have struggled to keep up with demand. This was made worse by the Covid epidemic. Head and neck cancer is quite rare […]