Head and neck cancer (cancer of the mouth, tongue, and/or throat) is a malignant neoplasm originating from abnormal cells arising in tissues forming the pancreas. The most common type of head and neck cancer is squamous cell carcinoma, which accounts for 95% of these tumors. This handbook is written for patients to aid them during their fight with head and neck cancer. It is common for patients with a cancer diagnosis to have many questions about the impact of nutrition and diet. In fact, this is one of the main ways that you (or your loved one) can aid yourself in the battle with cancer. The cancer can inhibit your body's ability to heal, decrease your energy, and decrease your immune system. By optimizing diet and nutrition, research has shown that outcomes of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy can be improved. This can, in turn, lead to improved cure rates, better cancer treatment outcomes, and greater ability for the body to heal and rebound from the effects of cancer therapy.
About the Author: Heather Gabbert attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and graduated with her Master's Degree in Dietetics in 1995. She has been a Registered Dietitian for 17 years. She has worked with cancer patients since 1998 when she began working at Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Moving to Spokane, Washington, from Chicago, Illinois, in 2007, she works as an RD for Cancer Care Northwest and a home health company. She is a member of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), Washington State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (WSAND), and Greater Spokane Dietetics Association (GSDA). She served for two years as Media Representative and board member for WSAND and GSDA. Heather has authored a book, been a contributing writer, written articles and was a blogger for StepUpSpokane, highlighting nutrition and wellness. She is a member of AND's DPG groups: Oncology, Business Communications and Entrepreneurs, Dietitians in Integrative Medicine, and Sports, Cardio and Wellness Nutrition (SCAN) group. Kathy Beach chose to get a degree in nursing after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She received her RN degree in 1993, and spent sixteen years in hospital nursing where she worked on a range of units from Medical Oncology to Outpatient Surgery. For the past 4 years, she has focused on oncology and radiation oncology with Cancer Care Northwest in Spokane, WA. She loves her work and finds the patients she cares for and their families to be inspiring. Christopher M. Lee is a practicing Radiation Oncologist and is the Director of Research for Cancer Care Northwest and The Gamma Knife of Spokane (Spokane, WA). Dr. Lee graduated cum laude in Biochemistry from Brigham Young University in 1997 which included a summer research fellowship at Harvard University and Brigham and Women's Hospital. He subsequently attended Saint Louis University School of Medicine where he received his M.D. with Distinction in Research degree. He completed four additional years of specialty training in Radiation Oncology at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital and University of Utah Medical Center during which he was given multiple national awards. Dr. Lee actively pursues both basic science and clinical research. He continues to be a proliferative author of scientific papers and regularly gives presentations on radiotherapy technique and the use of targeted radiation in the care of patients with head and neck (throat), brain, breast, gynecologic, and prostate malignancies.