Treatment for head and neck cancer is often difficult both physically and emotionally, and it will take some time to recover. Side effects may be temporary, long-lasting or permanent, and some will need ongoing management and treatment.
Learn how to manage these common side effects:
- fatigue
- mouth problems
- taste, smell and appetite changes
- swallowing difficulties
- malnutrition and weight loss
- changes to speech
- breathing changes
- pain, numbness and stiffness
- changes to appearance
- sex and intimacy
- vision changes and hearing loss
- lymphoedema.
Your treatment team will explain what to expect and watch for. Tell them of any side effects and ask which health professionals can help you.
Head and neck cancer can be emotionally challenging. Your treatment team can offer support or you may like to talk to a social worker or psychologist or call Cancer Council on 13 11 20.
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Key resource
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More resources
A/Prof Martin Batstone, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon and Director of the Maxillofacial Unit, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, QLD; Polly Baldwin, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA; Martin Boyle, Consumer; Dr Teresa Brown, Assistant Director Dietetics, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Honorary Associate Professor, University of Queensland, QLD; Dr Hayley Dixon, Head, Clinical Support Dentistry Department, WSLHD Oral Health Services, Public Health Dentistry Specialist, NSW; Head and Neck Cancer Care Nursing Team, Royal Melbourne Hospital, VIC; Rhys Hughes, Senior Speech Pathologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Dr Annette Lim, Medical Oncologist and Clinician Researcher – Head and Neck and Non-melanoma Skin Cancer, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Dr Sweet Ping Ng, Radiation Oncologist, Austin Health, VIC; Deb Pickersgill, Senior Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Queensland Sports Medicine Centre, QLD; John Spurr, Consumer; Kate Woodhead, Physiotherapist, St Vincent’s Health, Melbourne, VIC; A/Prof Sue-Ching Yeoh, Oral Medicine Specialist, University of Sydney, Sydney Oral Medicine, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, NSW.
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