2023 Head & Neck Cancer Conference Guide Book

OFFICIAL 2023 DELEGATE 

Guide Book 

GRAND HOTEL, TORQUAY // UNITED KINGDOM 

8TH & 9TH NOVEMBER 2023 

#HNCCONF2023

SWALLOWS SUPPORT GROUP LOCATIONS 

We have a range of in person 

and online support groups 

located around the UK. Most 

meetings are held on the second 

Wednesday of every month. 

Patients, caregivers and health 

professionals are all welcome. 

PLAY YOUR PART 

Blackpool / 

Preston / Lakes 

Fundraising is a key part of our annual funding and our volunteers often to go 

extreme lengths to raise valuable money for our charity. From bag packs to 28km 

swims in the Lake District and even cycling coast to coast across the UK, we are 

truly thankful for all their efforts! Luckily we’ve made it much easier to support The 

Swallows - you can simply scan the QR code with your smart phone to donate. We 

are extremely grateful for any donation, no matter how small or big! 

£100 TO US IS LIKE WINNING THE 

LOTTERY, SO PLEASE REMEMBER... 

PRESTON 

Cornwall/ 

South Devon 

MILTON KEYNES 

IPSWICH 

‘EVERY POUND COUNTS!’ 

ONLINE GROUPS 

TORBAY 

OPEN YOUR PHONE CAMERA AND 

SCAN THE QR CODE TO DONATE 

Blackburn/Preston/Lakes CAREGIVERS grimsby lincolnshire 

LONDON YOUNG PERSONS PLYMOUTH ROYAL DEVON & EXETER 

SOUTHAMPTON WORCESTER INTERNATIONAL MEETING 

NORTHAMPTON 

justgiving.com/campaign/ 

SwallowsCharity 

2 HEAD & NECK CANCER CONFERENCE 2023 

CLATTERBRIDGE CANCER CENTRE 

BATH (FROM FEB '24) 

TO FIND YOUR LOCAL GROUP HEAD ONLINE 

WWW.THESWALLOWS.ORG.UK OR EMAIL INFO@THESWALLOWS.ORG.UK 

#HNCCONF2023 3

2023 HEADLINE SPONSORS 

We will explore potential ways of enabling all of us 

to think differently about how we learn and what we 

can achieve. 

The programme will deliver an exciting mix of 

keynote speakers and panel discussions, exhibitions 

themed around the strands of 'Living With and 

Beyond Cancer’ and will invite delegates to 'Think 

Differently' as a result. 

WELCOME 

After a very successful 2022 conference, 

at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, 

this year we are very pleased to be in 

the English Riviera. We anticipate that 

the Head & Neck Cancer Conference 

2023 will be an inspiring and memorable 

experience for everyone who attends. 

The conference will pose questions about 

‘Living With and Beyond Cancer’. Inspired 

by leading national and international 

thinkers, the conference will explore 

how, by introducing greater passion and 

understanding into the patient’s journey, 

caregivers and the people who work 

with them will make informed choices, 

continue learning and aspire to worldclass 

performance. 

This year we are proud to thank a 

truly international line-up of speakers 

who give up their time to speak at 

the conference. We will welcome two 

celebrities: Tommy Walsh, H&N cancer 

survivor and TV Celebrity, and Michael 

Caines, TV chef. 

At a time when health professionals 

are under ever more severe pressures, 

the conference will examine the 

opportunities for everyone involved to 

help improve the Quality of Life. 

Speakers and panels will be invited to build their 

presentation around this triple-pronged approach 

or to concentrate on one aspect. Anecdotal and 

personal experience will be encouraged. Wherever 

possible, speakers have been grouped to explore 

counter or complementary positions within a strand 

to further engage the audience. The participation 

of patients and caregivers in all aspects will form an 

integral part of the conference. 

We all hope you get involved and enjoy the 

experience. Please use #HNCCONF2023 when 

posting your thoughts on social media. 

CHRIS CURTIS 

Chief Executive Officer 

& 12-year H&N Cancer Survivor 

chris@theswallows.org.uk 



RESIDENT 

Fahida Rehman, Clinical Nurse Specialist 

and Samantha Gregory, Speech and 

Language Therapist being honoured 

with the accolade of becoming Swallows 

charity patrons, giving them the privilege 

of supporting and championing the 

charity’s incredible work and continuing 

to make a meaningful difference in the 

lives of those we serve. 

Welcome 

to Torbaydos 

Welcome to the English Riviera and this 

year’s Swallows Head and Neck cancer 

conference here in Torbaydos. It is a 

fantastic honour to host this conference 

and we will do our very best to live up to 

it. South Devon is a fantastic place to live, 

work and play. 

I started my consultant job here in 

Torbay in 2007 and started my family 

shortly after and have no regrets about 

either. I said a moment earlier that “we 

will do our very best to live up to it”, 

because it is so important to recognise 

that “we” are a team. It is undoubtably 

a tough job but rewarding beyond 

compare. The colleagues I work with 

are some of the most wonderful people 

I know and it as honour to have them 

not just as colleagues but as friends. I 

would hope that all those here know 

what a multidisciplinary team (MDT) is 

and the pride and trust we have in ours, 

I believe, means that it is rewarding and 

when the going gets tough we are able 

to support each other. I am also very 

much aware that the MDT is not just 

clinical staff and I am incredibly lucky to 

have such amazing administrative and 

management colleagues as well, who go 

the extra mile on a daily basis. 

I also believe that as a functioning caring 

and thoughtful team we can provide the 

best, most up to date, successful and 

kind service for all those who need us. 

We are also very much aware that not 

only do we learn from each other, but 

we learn from our head and neck cancer 

patients, their care givers, friends and 

relatives. Essentially every day is a school 

day and I am not sure if the next couple 

of days are lessons, revision, exams or 

parents evening! Whatever way you look 

at it I am sure the conference will be 

both fun and informative 

As you are here today, I can only presume 

you know what the Swallows Charity is 

about and as a head and neck surgeon it 

seems to encompass the vast majority of 

my job! It is about helping those affected 

by head and neck cancer along a long, 

hard and quite often brutal journey. I 

don’t need to tell you how tough the 

journey is. For some it takes a few years, 

for many it is for the rest of their lives. 

As a result of our collaborative work 

with the Swallows Charity our head and 

neck cancer patients in Torbay benefit 

from the south west’s first patient-led 

Swallows support group. Stemming 

from this initiative we developed a 

partnership and direct linking with 

Lowell General Hospital in Boston, 

USA; the first NHS trust in the UK to do 

so. The aim is to twin and refine best 

practice for both head and neck cancer 

service departments. This also led to 

Our patients in Torbay also now have the 

opportunity to receive a revolutionary 

form of radiotherapy, as we have recently 

opened a clinical research trial called 

ToRPEdo, where our patients benefit 

from proton beam therapy, giving them 

an excellent opportunity to have access 

to world class treatment. This is co-led 

by The Christie NHS Foundation Trust 

based in Manchester and The Institute 

of Cancer Research in London. The trial 

will determine whether the use of proton 

beam therapy reduces long-term side 

effects and improves quality of life for 

people treated with radiotherapy for 

oropharyngeal cancer. 

Added to this drive in providing 

advancing treatment in head and neck 

cancer, our patients in Torbay are also 

benefiting from our 14-day Pathway 

from Decision to Treat to Radiotherapy. 

Since implementing the new pathway 

in October 2017 our findings have shown 

that for most patients the pathway is 

achievable and maintainable despite the 

significant pressures within the NHS. In 

view of the success and potential benefit, 

we would strongly encourage other 

centres to consider adopting a similar 

approach in their departments. 

This conference will bring together 

experts, researchers, healthcare 

professionals, and individuals passionate 

about head and neck cancer care. Our 

aim is to create a platform for sharing 

knowledge, fostering collaboration, and 

advancing the field of head and neck 

cancer and research. Throughout the 

conference, you will have the opportunity 

to hear from inspirational international 

speakers, leading experts in the field. 

They will be sharing the latest research 

findings, treatment strategies, and 

advancements diagnostic techniques. 

We encourage you to actively participate 

in discussions, ask questions, and 

exchange your ideas with fellow 

attendees. 

We want to express our gratitude to 

our sponsors, exhibitors and all the 

individuals who have contributed to 

making this conference possible. Your 

support plays a crucial role in advancing 

the fight again head and neck cancer. 

We hope you find this event enriching 

and inspiring. Together we can make 

significant strides in improving the 

lives of those affected. Thank you once 

again for being part of this important 

event. Let’s make the most of our time 

in Torquay and work towards a brighter 

future in head and neck cancer care. 

PHILIP REECE 

ENT / Head & Neck Consultant 

& 2023 Conference President 



Day 1 >> Wednesday 8th November 

Day 2 >> Thursday 9th November 

9.00 - 9.30 

2023 Conference and Day 1 Welcome 

Chris Curtis 

Philip Reece 

9.00 - 9.05 

Day 2 Welcome 

Chris Curtis 

Philip Reece 

9.30 - 10.15 

SESSION: Pathologists, with you from the first step of your journey 

Professor Ali Khurram 

Dr Paul Hankinson 

9.05 - 9.50 

SESSION: Look, Listen and Observe for Mouth Cancer in the elderly 

Emma Riley 

10.20 - 11.05 

SESSION: Alternative medicine 

Simon Erridge 

Derek Lewthwaite 

9.55 - 10.40 

SESSION: Looking Beyond H&N Cancer 

Shyam Singam 

Tamsin Longley 

11.05 - 11.35 Morning coffee break 

10.40 - 11.10 Morning coffee break 

11.35 - 12.20 

SESSION: Head & Neck Cancers latest technology 

Richard Cave 

Vladimír Vondráček 

11.10 - 11.55 

SESSION: Acute & Late Effects of Radiotherapy Treatment 

Emma Hallam 

Nicola Freeman 

12.25 - 13.10 

13.10 - 14.20 Lunch break 

14.20 - 15.05 

15.10 - 16.00 

16.05 - 17.15 

SESSION: The unseen discrimination of cancer 

Chris Lewis 

SESSION: What we eat “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” 

Sarah Pearce 

SESSION: My Personal Experience of Throat Cancer 

Tommy Walsh 

SESSION: Latest research in Head & Neck Cancer 

Emma Kinloch Alexandra Langstaff 

Michael J Passineau 

12.00 - 12.40 

12.40 - 13.50 Lunch break 

13.50 - 14.40 

14.45 - 15.25 

15.30 - 16.10 

SESSION: Collaboration outcomes 

Dr Naomi Cole Arthur M. Lauretano 

Fahida Rehman Samantha Gregory 

SESSION: Nutrition doesn’t need to look boring 

Michael Caines 

SESSION: Laryngectomy my voice 

Jon Organ Peter Cousens 

Richard Andrews 

SESSION: A patients journey 

Sid Platt 

Denise Rudgley 

17.15 - 17.20 Day 1 wrap up 

HEADLINE SPONSORS 

16.10 - 16.30 

Day 2 wrap up, 2024 location 

announcement and close 



YOU ARE NOT ALONE. 

Patients, caregivers, and 

family members all welcome 

JOIN US AT OUR Patient & 

Caregiver MONTHLY MEETINGS 

THE SWALLOWS HEAD & NECK CANCER CHARITY 

Support for PATIENTS & Caregivers 

affected by HEAD & NECK CANCER 

Our main activities: 

• Provide a wide range of patient & caregiver information books 

• Offer a unique & dedicated 24/7 support phone line 

• Distribute Our patient and caregiver Support Boxes 

• USE OUR website and social media platforms TO help educate patients & caregivers 

• A range of supportive and awareness material for Head & Neck Cancer 

• DEVELOP OUR Patient Mobile Phone App TO sharE ideas & tips 

• GET involved with health professionals at all HEALTHCARE levels 

• HOST OUR Regular monthly patient & caregiver meetingS 

Our 24/7 PATIENT & CAREGIVER 

support line service is 

answered by a real person 

WWW.THESWALLOWS.ORG.UK 

theswallowscancersupport 

(+44) 07504 725 059 info@theswallows.org.uk 

@swallowsgroup 

Come and meet like-minded people in a relaxed atmosphere. 

There’s no need to book, just turn up on the 

evening. Visit our website to find your local meeting. 

FUNDRAISING IS VITAL TO OUR 

CHARITY. OPEN YOUR PHONE 

CAMERA AND SCAN THE 

QR CODE TO DONATE. 

PLEASE TALK TO ANY OF THE 

SWALLOWS VOLUNTEERS AT 

THE CONFERENCE FOR MORE 

INFORMATION ABOUT ANY SERVICES. 

Chris Curtis 

Chief Executive Officer, 

Head & Neck Cancer Survivor, 

The Swallows H&N Cancer Support Charity 

chris@theswallows.org.uk 

Head and Neck Cancer 

Support 

Patient & 

Caregiver 

Mobile App 

Find lots of tips and articles to 

help with your journey, join our 

community plus much more. 

DOWNLOAD TODAY 

SEARCH FOR 

‘THE SWALLOWS’ 



2023 Speakers 

The International Head & Neck Cancer Conference is delighted to welcome a range of 

health professionals, patients and carers from around the world to take part in seminars and 

keynote sessions to dive into the latest and most interesting topics from the last 12 months. 

Tommy Walsh 

TV Presenter/DIY Expert 

DAY 1 

Philip Reece 

MBBS, FRCS (ORL-HNS), BSc 

DAY 1 & DAY 2 

Tommy is best known for his presenting role in Ground Force alongside Charlie and Alan. 

Educated at Parmiter’s School, then a grammar school in Bethnal Green, Walsh became a builder 

and first came to public attention after appearing in the BBC television gardening programme 

Ground Force. He stayed with the show for the rest of its run, from 1997 to 2005. 

ENT/Head & Neck Consultant 

& 2023 Conference President 

After leaving school Philip studied medicine at University College London, qualifying in 1992. In the 

middle of this he undertook an intercalated BSc in Cellular pathology. Philip was attracted to ENT 

Surgery while a medical student and his postgraduate training involved jobs at the Royal Marsden, 

Great Ormond Street, Royal Throat, Noise and Ear, St Mary’s and Addenbrookes Hospitals. The bulk 

of Philip’s senior surgical training was at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford. At the end of his training 

he spent time in Tanzania and then completed a Fellowship in Head and Neck Surgery at the 

Royal Brisbane Hospital in Australia. 

In 2007 he returned to the United Kingdom to take up his post as ENT/Head & Neck Consultant 

at Torbay Hospital in South Devon. Philip has been active in training surgeons of the future as an 

Assigned Educational Supervisor for the Royal College of Surgeons, and he is the South Devon 

“Ambassador” for the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) 

and the Head and Neck Cancer Lead for South Devon. Philip and his team were the first surgeons 

in the UK to perform Trans Oral Robotic Surgery (TORS) for cancer and today continue to innovate 

cancer treatment including laser and advanced airway surgery. On a personal level his wife and 

Philip are raising four children and umpteen animals. He would like to list all his hobbies, but he 

has four children and umpteen animals! 

Fahida Rehman 

Lead Head & Neck/Thyroid Cancer Clinical 

Nurse Specialist Swallows Head & Neck 

Cancer Charity Patron 

DAY 2 

Fahida is the Lead H&N Cancer Specialist Nurse at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, 

providing holistic care for cancer patients undergoing investigation and treatment throughout their 

entire patient pathway, maintaining a high standard of person-centred care through clinical expertise. 

As a result of collaborative work with The Swallows Charity, she was instrumental in pioneering the 

region’s first patient-led support group in the South-West, as well as developing a partnership and 

direct linking with the Lowell General Hospital in Boston, USA. The aim being to twin and refine 

best practice for both head and neck cancer service departments; this successfully resulted in the 

continuing development of an equivalent role there. 

She also has a passion for health inequalities, committed and dedicated to improving outcomes 

for patients who are most vulnerable to cancer and its associated health disparities; most recently 

reflected in being a member of the advisory panel for the Macmillan Torbay Equity Project, which 

aims bridge the gap in cancer care and promote equitable access to treatment. 

His hard landscaping and building knowledge and skills led him to go onto film Fix It Yourself” for 

Discovery Real Time in 2010 and his series, “Fix Your House for Free” made in 2009 for Discovery 

Real Time was another successful series. In 2007 Tommy and his team pushed their talent and 

dexterity right to the edge, going beyond anything he has previously attempted on TV, with the 

task of building a new home in 60 days for £60K. It was built in the most eco and cost-friendly 

manner as possible, with construction materials which take into account eco benefits, cost, 

availability and ease of use. Recently Tommy Walsh was back on our screens presenting “Homes 

Under the Hammer” and “Clean It Fix It”. 

His book DIY Survival on publication made it into the UK’s bestsellers list and he subsequently 

published 4 project books; Kitchen DIY, Bathroom DIY, Outdoor DIY and Living Spaces DIY. 

Tommy had a small acting role in the film “One”. He is Patron of the “Stairway to Heaven Memorial 

Trust”, and is the subject of the song “Tommy Walsh’s Eco House” on the 2011 album 90 Bisodol 

(Crimond) by the band Half Man Half Biscuit. He has also appeared on Lily Savage’s Blankety Blank 

amongst other TV guest appearances. 

Clinical instructor in otology and laryngology, Harvard Medical School 

Assistant clinical professor in otolaryngology, Boston University School of Medicine 

Board Certified – American Academy of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery 

Board Certified – American Academy of Preventive Medicine 

Dr. Lauretano is a head and neck cancer surgical oncologist from Boston Massachusetts. A 

graduate of the Boston University Six-year Accelerated Medical Program, he trained at Harvard 

Medical School/Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. 

He was a full-time academic surgeon at Harvard Medical School, including the Dana Farber 

Cancer Institute, and then moved his cancer practice to the urban area of Lowell, Massachusetts. 

There he established the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Center, which sees patients 

from throughout the United States. Arthur is a proud International Patron of The Swallows. 

Join the conversation 

Use the 2023 hashtag on social media 

Arthur M. Lauretano 

MD, MS, FACS 

DAY 2 

Medical Director, Lowell General Hospital 

Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Center 

#HNCCONF2023 



Catherine Holborn 

MSc; BSc (Hons); PGCert 

Head and Neck Medical Oncologist 

DAY 2 

Tamsin Longley 

Senior Occupational Therapist, 

The Royal Marsden Hospital 

DAY 2 

Catherine is professionally registered as a Therapeutic Radiographer and worked clinically, within 

Radiotherapy, between 1998 and 2003. In 2003, she joined Sheffield Hallam University as a senior 

lecturer within their Radiotherapy & Oncology team. The majority of Catherine’s workload is in the 

post-registration/ post-graduate setting, delivering education to qualified practitioners, from a 

range of professional backgrounds, working within the cancer setting. The focus of her education 

predominantly focuses on topics related to cancer survivorship and personalised cancer care. 

She is passionate about using education to promote best practice in this field. She has a particular 

interest in strategies that help people to manage, and cope with, the long-term impact of cancer 

and its treatment. In 2022, Catherine also took on the role of Training & Education Lead at Sheffield 

Hallam’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC) where work is undertaken to develop 

innovations that help people to move and improve their quality of life. 

Tamsin Longley is a Senior Occupational Therapist The Royal Marsden Hospital Foundation 

trust (RMH). She works as a clinical member of the Occupational Therapy department and is 

also committed to quality improvement and patient-centred care. In 2018, she was awarded the 

Churchill Fellowship in order to gain a better understanding into the research and therapeutic 

interventions available for individuals experiencing cancer related cognitive impairment (CRCI) 

following cancer and cancer treatment. 

As a result since 2021 and with support from the Royal Marsden cancer charity, Tamsin has now 

been running an adapted UK version of the ‘Emerging from the HazeTM’ programme for patient’s 

experiencing CRCI, initially built by Dr Arash Asher at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, with promising 

results so far. 

Peter Cousens 

Head and Neck Cancer Survivor 

DAY 2 

Emma Kinloch 

Director, Salivary Gland Cancer UK 

DAY 2 

Peter was born in South West London in 1946, and attended Battersea County School. He has 

spent most of my working life in the dairy industry, first in London managing a Distributive Retail 

Depot in Shepherds Bush, then after meeting Chris and moving to Devon in 1979, he worked for St 

Ivel/Daws dairy as a Territory Manager covering Devon and Cornwall. Peter took early retirement 

in 2001. He owned an old 1951 London Bus and decided to go part time bus driving, which he did 

until he was made a member of this club in 2013. 

Peter was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx in November 2011 and was given laser and 

radiotherapy over Christmas and the New year of 2011/12, but unfortunately the cancer returned in 

July 2013 after which he had a full laryngectomee. 

Emma Kinloch is the founder of Salivary Gland Cancer UK (SGC UK), a unique collaboration 

between a patient advocate and medical oncologist. SGC UK is focussed on building a network 

of those affected by, treating and researching rare salivary gland cancers in the UK and beyond, 

pushing forwards research and providing reliable information. 

Internationally Emma represents salivary gland cancers as a Patient Advisor to the EURACAN rare 

head and neck cancer domain, a member of the International Rare Cancer Initiative (IRCI) and a 

Non-Executive Director of a US based Research Foundation. In all these roles she is focussed on 

collaboration, co-production and ensuring the patient/public voice is fully integrated into research 

from strategy and priority setting, through delivery, to output, evaluation, and dissemination 

Emma studied Experimental Psychology at Corpus Christi Oxford, holds an MSc in Criminology 

and Masters in Organisational Psychology. 

Simon Erridge 

MBBS BSc (Hons) 

Head of Research & Access, Sapphire Clinic 

DAY 1 

Sid Platt 

Former Head and Neck 

Cancer Patient 

DAY 2 

Simon is a medical doctor, based in London, who leads on the conduct and development of 

research on medical cannabis at Sapphire Medical Clinics. He combines this with a role at Imperial 

College London, where he also studies the effects of components from the cannabis plant on 

pancreatic cancer cells in pre-clinical models. 

Sid is a 75 year young East Ender - former (un)civil servant, public sector Trade Union bureaucrat 

(Nalgo/Unison), Midlands TUC Chair, and Local authorities chief executive (West Midlands Local 

Government Association WMLGA). His future careers are behind him as his work avoidance 

programme is proceeding well! (with the exception of my commitment to the Swallows cancer 

recovery groups). Sid is now living in Cornwall on grandparenting duties, boating, travelling and 

playing golf enthusiastically (and often referred to as “Lazarus” when he wins!). 



Emma Hallam 

BSc MSc PGCertNMP 

DAY 2 

Vladimír Vondráček 

MSc. 

DAY 1 

Macmillan Consultant Therapeutic Radiographer 

Medical Physicist 

In 2013 Emma, a Macmillan Consultant Therapeutic Radiographer at The Nottingham 

Radiotherapy Centre developed and now leads the award winning Macmillan Nottingham 

Radiotherapy Late Effects Clinic. This bespoke service, the first if its kind within the UK helps 

patients with any physical or psychological late effects that patients may have as a consequence 

from their treatment. 

In 2019 she developed the service further to include the follow up of head and neck radiotherapy 

patients using patient reported outcome measures and digital technology and it is here where 

Emma helps to provide rehabilitation, identify early lymphoedema and other late effects with the 

intention of providing help and support before these consequences have a negative impact on 

the patient’s quality of life. Emma is also an Associate Lecturer at Sheffield University providing 

education and expert clinical guidance on personalised care and living with and beyond cancer. 

Offering a holistic approach, helping patients live well with and beyond cancer and education on 

late effects to both patients and health professionals is Emma’s key focus and area if interest. 

Vladimír has been a medical physicist in Thomayer´s Memorial Hospital since 1997, and since 2005 

head of medical physics department. He was head of medical physics department in University 

hospital Na Bulovce, Institute of radiation oncology between 2003-2012. Vladimír has held the 

position of Head of medical physics department in Proton Therapy Center in Prague since 2012, 

with special accreditation for radiation protection in proton therapy facility and accreditation for 

commissioning of proton beam for clinical treatment. 

He’s worked on a project on collaboration with the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, 

Russia, since 2004 in using proton beams and/or hadron beams for treatment. He was also a 

teacher at Institute for Postgradual Education in Medicine, 2006-2022, Faculty of medical physics 

and has participated in research projects with Institute of Radiation Dosimetry, Czech Academy of 

Science (RBE measurement of proton beam, LET measurement) and Czech Metrological Institute 

(measurement of unwanted doses during radiation therapy). 

Shyam Singam 

MBBS, DLO, FRCSI (ENT) 

ENT Surgeon 

Shyam completed his Undergraduate and ENT Postgraduate training (Coimbatore and Madras 

medical Colleges respectively) in India. He then trained in the Republic of Ireland and got his 

ENT Fellowship. Subsequently, after a stint of freelancing around the UK, he’ll be catching the 

Hogwart’s Express, to Torbay! 

DAY 2 

His special interests include BAHA, Obstructive Sleep Disordered Breathing, Coblation surgery and 

Acupuncture. The Acupuncture Clinic for Post Radiotherapy Xerostomia, was set up back in 2003 

with Julie Hewitt. Outside of work, he enjoys a little golf, gardening (including hard labour in an 

allotment that churns out Rhubarb gin and Cherry vodka!) and cooking, keeping him busy! 

Emma Riley 

Emma has many years’ experience in dental nursing and oral health care, having qualified from 

Manchester Dental School. She was at one point the only Sponsored McMillian Oral Health 

practitioner working for the Pennine Trust and supported patients at all stages of their treatment 

of oral cancers. Emma led nurse led clinics and was the DCP member of UKOMIC. Her work has 

seen her present and write both nationally and internationally and allowed her to present at the 

Mouth Cancer Awareness event in Parliament. 

Emma is also a clinical advisor for MCF. She has throughout the pandemic worked closely with 

care homes and was proud to contribute to the COP26 event which put oral care for the older 

person under the spot light. 

DAY 2 

Dental Nurse and Oral Health Practitioner, 

Patron of The Society of British Dental Nurses 

Dr Naomi Cole 

MB BcH MRCP FRCR 

Head and Neck Oncologist 

DAY 2 

Naomi completed her Oncology training in South Wales, and became a consultant, treating Head 

and Neck and Skull base tumours, in 2013. In 2017 Naomi moved down to the South West and 

she started working in Torbay Hospital treating people with Head and Neck cancer and with lung 

SABR. Naomi works with a fantastic team in Torbay and who continually aim to provide great care 

for their patients. 

Richard Cave 

Speech and Language Therapist 

DAY 1 

Richard Cave is a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) based in the UK, PhD candidate at 

UCL, national adviser to Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists for voice banking, 

Ambassador to the Mouth Cancer Foundation and recipient of the 2022 Allied Professional award 

from the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations. Richard works with Google, providing 

specialist SLT consultancy to the Relate, Euphonia, Look to Speak, Activate projects. He also 

works with the MND Association, providing training and practical support for voice banking and 

communication technology. Prior to qualification as a SLT, he worked in the IT industry for 18 years. 



Jon Organ 

DAY 2 

Michael Caines 

MBE DL 

DAY 2 

Laryngectomee 

Chef Owner Michael Caines Collection 

My name is Jon Organ I am 57 and I am a Laryngectomee. I have been married to Nicky for 34 

years and have 4 children and 11 grandchildren. Up until November last year life was ticking 

along very nicely, and cares were few and far between. I ran my own building company, as well as 

consulting on Health and Safety in the construction industry (I still do). 

A two week rule visit to ENT at hospital after many months of a hoarse voice, found cancer of the 

voice box. Initially staged at 3, soon after stage 4. The cancer had grown through the thyroid. An 

urgent total laryngectomy, plus removal of thyroid gland and 84 lymph nodes followed. 

Shortly after 6 weeks of radiotherapy, at the Royal Marsden hospital London and two doses of 

chemotherapy. I am now classed as NED, No evidence of disease at a recent PET scan. During my 

short but intense journey, the one thing I have learnt is that people out there feel alone just as I 

did. Nobody should feel alone, and everybody should be helped wherever they can. If possible, I 

would like to help make a painful situation a little less painful. 

Michael Caines MBE, chef patron of Lympstone Manor, is known as one of Britain’s most 

celebrated and acclaimed Michelinstarred chefs. Having grown up in the South West of England, 

Michael has earned a global reputation for his distinctive modern cuisine, which champions the 

finest local produce and suppliers, combined with influences from his global travels. 

In 2006 Michael was awarded an MBE for contributions and services to the hospitality industry and 

made a Freeman of the City of Exeter for his work impassioning the hospitality industry in the local 

area. Michael also created the Michael Caines Academy at Exeter College – of which he is alumnus – 

as well as The Michael Caines Foundation which supports numerous charities including Families for 

Children, Farms for City Children, The Exeter Foundation, One for the Boys, WESC and Devon Wildlife 

Trust. 

Michael is a familiar face on television, appearing regularly on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen, Great British 

Menu and MasterChef and has authored a cookbook, Michael Caines at Home. 

Join the conference 

community platform 

Scan the QR code and 

register to join in during 

the conference 

Professor 

Ali Khurram 

DAY 1 & DAY 2 

Consultant Pathologist 

Michael J Passineau 

PhD 

Vice President and Head of Salivary Gland 

Therapeutics MeiraGTx 

DAY 1 

2021- Present, Vice President and Head of Salivary Gland Therapeutics, MeiraGTx (NASDAQ:MGTX). 

MeiraGTx is a global gene therapy company with corporate headquarters in New York City, 

and primary manufacturing facilities in London and Shannon, Ireland. MeiraGTx develops and 

manufacturers and develops gene therapy vectors in inherited retinal diseases (partnership with 

Janssen), central nervous system disorders and salivary gland dysfunction. 

My role encompasses oversight of clinical drug development and research for the company’s lead 

candidate, AAV2-hAQP1, a gene therapy agent intended to treat radiation-induced xerostomia and 

Sjogren’s disease, as well as other undisclosed therapeutic candidates. AAV2-hAQP1 completed a 

Phase 1 clinical trial in March 2023, and the company has begun dosing a Phase 2 trial in June, 2023. 

Formerly 13 years at Allegheny Health Network, Drexel University College of Medicine, Pittsburgh 

Campus (Allegheny General Hospital). Retired as full Professor, Drexel University CoM, in 2021. 

Ali Khurram is a Professor and Consultant Pathologist at the University of Sheffield and Sheffield 

Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK. He is passionate about raising the profile of 

Pathology as a specialty and raising awareness of head and neck cancers. He is a Patron for The 

Swallows Head and Neck Cancer Charity. 

Professor Khurram has a number of local, regional and national leadership roles including Clinical 

lead for the local/regional Diagnostic Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Service, Secretary of the 

British Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology (BSOMP), Digital Advisor for the Pathological 

Society of Great Britain & Ireland and Deputy Chair of the NCRI’s Salivary Gland working group. He 

is also the Training Programme Director for the specialty in Yorkshire and was awarded the 2022 

Golden Microscope Medal for his contribution to pathology training and education. 

Professor Khurram is actively involved in research with numerous ongoing projects investigating 

head and neck cancer and pre-cancer as well as the use of Artificial Intelligence in diagnosis and 

prediction of prognosis. 

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Nicola Freeman 

BSc (HONS) Radiotherapy & Oncology, 

MSc Advanced Clinical Practice 

Radiotherapy & Oncology 

H&N Consultant Radiographer 

DAY 2 

Nicola qualified as a therapeutic radiographer in 2003, and progressed up to superintendent 

radiographer in 2015 incorporating H&N specialist duties as part of her role. This involved supporting 

service users and their families throughout, and beyond their treatment journey providing specialist 

advice and care. 

Throughout this time, she has acquired knowledge and skills to further her expertise and developed 

networking skills with the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure their service users receive the best 

possible holistic care appropriate to their individual needs. In 2021 Nicola completed her masters 

degree, with her dissertation focussing on prehabillitation for HNCa, following a service user 

evaluation about their needs and the service provisions. 

Following on from this, Nicola was fortunate to be appointed to H&N consultant radiographer, 

and for the past year and a half has been working to reduce the oncologist time, and improve 

efficiency of the pathway throughout our service. Nicola is passionate about enabling service 

users to optimise their health and well-being pre-, and during treatment, and highly motivated to 

facilitate a better quality of life post-treatment. 

Alexandra Langstaff 

BSc, BNurs, Msc, NMP 

Ward Manager for Head and Neck, 

Brachytherapy and Molecular Radiation 

at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust 

DAY 1 

Alexandra trained for BNurs Adult Nursing and MSc Specialist Practice Cancer at The University 

of Manchester and is current ward manager for Head and Neck, Brachytherapy and Molecular 

Radiation at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. She’s held previous roles within the same unit as a 

Registered nurse and Sister. 

Alexandra’s symptom control and end of life care interest led to previous role as a Clinical Nurse 

Specialist in Supportive and Palliative Care. Attempting to regularly alleviate symptoms for a 

variety of disease groups, ongoing issues with patients experiencing severe mucositis as a result of 

head and neck radical radiation were noted leading to completion of research project during 2022. 

Her clinical innovation research completed on alleviation of radiation induced mucositis for head 

and neck patients via use of Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBM). A Green Team Award was 

received in January 2023 from the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare. She has a strong passion for 

staff mental health and wellbeing and her MSc research project focused on the impact of end of 

life care on nurses within the oncology setting. Alexandra also holds the additional role of clinical 

supervisor within her current NHS trust. 

Samantha Gregory 

DAY 2 

Join the conversation 

Use the 2023 hashtag on social media 


Macmillan Speech 

and Language Therapist 

Samantha graduated in 2007 with a BSc (Hons) degree in Speech and Language Therapy. Since 

qualifying she has always had a passion for working with people with Head and Neck Cancer 

and their caregivers. She has been the clinical lead for the Head and Neck Cancer Speech and 

Language Therapy service at Torbay Hospital in South Devon since 2018. 

Samantha’s role is to provide assessment and rehabilitation of communication and / or swallowing 

difficulties associated with head and neck cancers and their treatment. She specialises in surgical 

voice restoration in laryngectomy rehabilitation and specialist instrumental swallow assessments 

including videofluoroscopy and fibreoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). 

Sarah Pearce 

Director of Services and Operations, 

Fifth Sense 

DAY 1 

Samantha is honoured to have taken part in a transatlantic collaboration with The Swallows 

Head and Neck Cancer Support Group and the head and neck cancer team at the Lowell General 

Hospital in Boston, USA. The aim is to twin the two hospital trusts and continue to develop their 

overseas partnerships. She is proud to support The Swallows Head and Neck Cancer Support 

Group in Torbay and has been recently given the honour of patron for which she is truly grateful 

and humbled. 

Originally trained as a nurse, Sarah later studied in her spare time to acquire the qualifications 

to study full time as an undergraduate Law student, before going on to successfully complete 

a master’s degree in law. She then commenced employment within the third sector, including 

setting up a citizens advocacy charity in Kent for people with learning disabilities and their families. 

Following on from this, Sarah commenced working in various roles for physical and mental health 

charities. These were both large and small, established, and new. 






Her roles over the years have included national senior management, advocacy and writing policy 

documents for a government minister on advocacy for adults with learning disabilities. She has 

worked for Fifth Sense, the smell and taste charity, for over a year and enjoys working in an area 

which, prior to joining the organisation, was something of which she had very little experience 

except with her late father, when he had mouth cancer and lost his sense of taste. 



Chris Lewis 

DAY 1 

Denise Rudgley 

Retired RGN, RHV, MSc in Public Health 

DAY 2 

CEO of Chris’s Cancer Community 

and COO of SimPal 

Ex Intensive Care Nurse 

Chris was a self-employed Business Consultant for many years until being diagnosed in 2007, 

with a stage IV Mantle Cell Lymphoma, with a 6-month prognosis. He received a donor stemcell 

transplant but was unable to work regularly afterwards, due to frequent bouts of differing 

GvHD. He decided to spend the rest of his life empowering people going through what he had 

experienced. Chris is now one of the most influential cancer patients in the world. 

Having seen the many challenges for people living with cancer, Chris works with numerous 

global organisations to aid better collaboration in the sector. He runs his own very successful 

website (www.chris-cancercommunity.com) and his innovative charity, (www.yoursimpal.com) 

Enabling people in the UK affected by cancer, long term health issues, and poverty, to stay digitally 

connected for free. 

Successful collaboration is key to this work, and Chris is a frequent keynote speaker and writer 

across the world. He also has a powerful presence on Twitter @christheeagle1 

Denise qualified in 1975 from the Royal Air Force as a State Registered Nurse and went on to 

specialise in Intensive Care Nursing for approximately 20 years around the UK and in the Middle 

East (Sultanate of Oman). She was also Matron of a military hospital for head and spinal injuries 

and a practising Health Visitor for approximately 10 years, which included running a Health Visiting 

Service in the Middle East for 3 of those. 

On return to the UK, Denise was professional lead/advisor to other agencies in respect of health 

and homeless issues and was seconded to the UK Public Health Association for 1 year to coordinate 

the ‘Health Visiting Matters’ national project. After gaining her MSc in Public Health, 

Denise has been involved in a variety of research and evaluation projects, including a collaboration 

with Plymouth and Exeter Universities as a visiting lecturer for the Specialist Community Public 

Health Nurse Courses, and Southwest Public Health Trainee programme. 

Alongside her working life she has also been Mayor and Chair of the local Town Council. Denise is 

happily married to Andy whom she met over the bonnet of a rally car which continued to fuel a 

lifelong love of motorsport! 

Richard Andrews 

DAY 2 






Stage 2 Throat Cancer Survivor 

and Total Laryngectomee 

Having suffered with a sore throat and squeaky voice for 6 months, Richard diagnosed with 

stage 2 throat cancer in August 2018 and was prescribed 30 radiotherapy sessions. Following 

radiotherapy he began to exercise in order to help with recovery – he entered and completed a 

Duathlon and a 10k race, but unfortunately began getting breathless and suffering severe earache. 

In the June Richard was re-diagnosed and told a total laryngectomy with a radical neck dissection 

was required. 

Post surgery Richard began to run and cycle to get fit and assist with his recovery and three 

months after the operation he ran the Cardiff half marathon, followed by a 50k ultra 3 months 

later. Then came Covid, and he started getting interested in bigger challenges 100k ultra and 

Duathlons. 

He then heard about the special snorkel provided by Clare at the The Royal Devon which peaked 

his interest in becoming the first Laryngectomee to complete a triathlon(swim 400mtrs; cycle 12 

miles; run 5km) and half Ironman( swim 1.2 miles; cycle 50 miles and run 13 miles). Richard has now 

completed 3 triathlons and a half Ironman ( although he didn’t quite finish due to hypothermia). 

Dr Paul Hankinson 

MSc; BSc (Hons); PGCert 

Academic clinical fellow in oral and maxillofacial 

pathology 

I am an academic clinical fellow in oral and maxillofacial pathology with research interests in 

discovering saliva tests for head and neck cancers and precancers. 

DAY 2 

I graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2017 before working in a general dental practice for 

one year followed by two years in an oral and maxillofacial (head and neck) surgery team. During 

that time, I assisted in theatre and managed patients with head and neck cancers on the ward 

and in clinics after discharge. 

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& caregiver mobile app 

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I am now in training in pathology, the specialists who look at patients tissue (for example from a 

biopsy) to diagnose head and neck diseases. I lead a clinical study recruiting patients to see if we 

can develop a saliva-based test for head and neck cancers and pre-cancers. As well as my clinical 

and research roles I teach dental students, postgraduate dental/medical trainees and general 

dentists about head and neck cancer. 



HEALTH PROFESSIONALS 

Request your 2023 

certificate of attendance 

Prevent and Treat 

Oral Mucositis 

Over 90% of head and neck cancer patients treated with 

both chemo and radiotherapy develop oral mucositis. 1 

Photobiomodulation reduces incidence, severity, and 

duration of oral mucositis. Treatment is quick, easy, well 

tolerated by patients, and has no known side effects. 

Come talk to us 

1 

Pulito, C., Cristaudo, A., Porta, C.L. et al. Oral mucositis: the hidden side of cancer therapy. J Exp 

Clin Cancer Res 39, 210 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13046-020-01715-7 

CERTIFICATE 

CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION 

for the 2023 

International Head & 

Neck Cancer Conference 

GRAND HOTEL, TORQUAY // UNITED KINGDOM 

8TH & 9TH NOVEMBER 2023 

Thank you for attending 

8th & 9th November 2023 

World Head & Neck Cancer 

Patient Ambassador 


Email: sharon@ccconsultant.co.uk 


Paul Burns | paul.burns@thormedical.com | 07974 631 335 


‘Paul, I have to admit, 

I’m impressed...’ 

Now, let me be upfront about this – nobody has 

ever said these words to me before. Picture any 

scenario you wish to (go on, picture it), and I can 

assure you that these words have never been 

uttered in my direction in my 42 years. 

How then, did we get here? 

I suppose in some sense I have to rewind almost 

13 years, to the first time I met The King of the 

Dad Joke, the man who has brought us all here 

today, esteemed Chair of The Swallows, Chris 

Curtis. Because it was upon meeting Chris that 

my life changed. At the time I was working with 

a wound dressing that, to this day, I will gladly 

bore on about at length. Some of you might 

know it – it’s pink, it’s foamy, it’s amazing. A new 

window of opportunity had opened with this 

dressing thanks to some work that had been 

done by a team of clinicians in Leeds, whereby it 

had become apparent that patients undergoing 

radiotherapy who were at risk of radiation 

dermatitis (radiotherapy burns, to you and me) 

could benefit enormously from having these 

dressings applied. Enter into the scene, Chris 

Curtis, stage left. 

Chris was not the first head and neck cancer 

patient I had met. In 2004, my grandad on my 

dad’s side, (another person who had the most 

profound of impacts on my life thanks to his 

Bootle upbringing and his rampant romancing 

of Ian St. John) passed away from throat cancer. 

I was asked to speak at his funeral (and I bottled 

it by the way, there was no way I was going to 

be able to keep it together, and trust me, as a 

man who has cried during all of the best man 

speeches he has given, it was for the best). 

So I had been touched by this insidious disease 

and meeting Chris on that day in Preston back 

in 2011 gave me the opportunity to start to learn 

so much more about it, and to stop looking 

at windows of opportunity for the company I 

was working for, but for the patients we were 

ultimately here to serve. 

Fast forward ten years and the Covid 19 

pandemic (remember that??) had brought 

me to a crossroads. And Chris told me about 

something. And my reaction to that something 

was: 

‘Hogwash. What kind of black-magic mumbo 

jumbo are you talking about? What witchcraft, 

what sorcery is this?’ 

How, I thought, could shining a light on 

something (and I mean that quite literally – the 

simple shining of a light) possibly have the 

profound effect on the life of a patient that was 

being described? 

Turns out that in 2018, NICE (The National 

Institute for Health & Care Excellence) had 

issued what’s known as an Interventional 

Procedure Overview which examined a therapy 

called Photobiomodulation (PBM) in the 

prevention and treatment of radiotherapy and 

chemotherapy induced oral mucositis, and Chris 

had got very excited about this. You see, Chris 

didn’t need telling what oral mucositis was, it 

was one of the many t-shirts he had been there 

and worn as a cancer patient. If you’re reading 

this, you don’t need telling what oral mucositis 

is either, and nor do you need telling about the 

debilitating effect it can have on the life of a 

patient. 

My interest suitably piqued, I dived into the 

evidence and the history of this, on the face of it, 

somewhat peculiar therapy. 

I have to admit, I was impressed. 

Laser bio-stimulation was discovered by Endre 

Mester in 1967, though lasers, as it turned out, 

would be a problem with regards delivering 

PBM to the people who needed it here in the 

United Kingdom. Prior to my joining THOR, a 

trial had been run in the National Health Service 

which was named LiTEFORM, and it had proved 

that delivering PBM in order to prevent oral 

mucositis by using lasers was a cumbersome, 

time consuming, uncomfortable, and laborious 

process. 

Back to the drawing board? In a sense, yes. What 

was needed was a mechanism of delivering 

intra-oral light using LEDs, to remove the 

associated problems of the laser light that had 

been established by LiTEFORM. And THOR had it. 

They had it in the form of a lollipop. And as we’ve 

discussed, Chris was very excited about it. 

On the face of it, when I was brought into the 

company my task was simple. Here was an easy 

to deliver (I have a video I can show you of an 

infant treating themselves), a quick to deliver 

(it takes five minutes), safe to deliver (there are 

no more lasers), NICE assessed (see above), and 

remarkably cost effective solution to a problem 

that causes untold pain and suffering to millions 

of incredibly unfortunate people (Chris once 

described getting a cancer of the head or neck to 

me as, ‘The lottery you don’t want to win’). 

Those of us who have worked in, and for, and 

with the NHS know that these things are never 

quite that simple, and yet for all the immediate 

obstacles that presented themselves, I carried 

Chris and the hundreds of patients I have met 

whilst being an advocate for The Swallows 

these last 12 years with me, both literally and 

figuratively, keeping in mind that whatever it 

was I was doing, I was doing it to make sure that 

the people who needed this therapy could get 

this therapy. 

In those heady 2021 days, ‘the people who 

needed this therapy’, were the patients who 

would in all likelihood be suffering from oral 

mucositis as a result of their treatment for their 

cancer. Time (and an awful lot of work!) has 

shown that we are finally starting to make a 

difference to patients’ lives, as the NHS slowly 

starts to adopt PBM and introduce it to their 

patients, and it gives me the most enormous 

thrill that you’ll get to hear more about this 

from Alex Langstaff (a Royal College of Nursing 

awards finalist no less!) from The Christie at this 

conference, as well as hearing all about how 

her colleague Angela Hayes gave me a ‘Eureka!’ 

moment in her office. Lucky me, having my life 

changed yet again. 

Remember how I mentioned windows of 

opportunity earlier? Well, there was another 

clinician whom I knew from my frothy pink dressing 

days, and having looked at the body of evidence 

supporting the use of PBM in areas beyond oral 

mucositis, she decided that she was going to have a 

little look at it in her Late Effects clinic. 

And she had to admit, she was impressed. 

For those of you who don’t know Emma, she 

is Macmillan Consultant Radiographer in 

Post Treatment & Late Effects at Nottingham 

University Hospitals, and without wishing to 

sound too grandiose about this, she has changed 

your author’s life, just like Chris, Alex & Angela 

before her, because without Emma, it wouldn’t 

have become my privilege to become so 

intwined around one of Chris’s oldest adages 

– ‘Survivorship is not survivorship without 

quality of life’. 

The lives that matter are those that 

belong to the patients. Let’s sit together 

for a moment, and have a look at the kind 

of difference Emma has made to those lives, 

straight from the mouth of one: 

I cannot put in words how grateful I am to the 

team for the CARE I have been shown. It has 

literally saved my life. Previously I was existing 

in spite of how I had been left post treatment 

and felt terribly isolated. I had felt grateful to be 

alive but wasn’t actually doing anything with 

my life. I felt I couldn’t complain. Emma has 

encouraged me to enquire and not feel bad 

about doing so. She is always so honest in the 

most compassionate of ways and it’s clear the 

team work closely together and with a shared 

ethos. I feel I am only just beginning to recognise 

what I’ve been through and getting some 

control back in my life. This is all because of the 

incredible support I’ve had from Emma and the 

team. Her passion for what she does is obvious 

and infectious. I was fortunate enough to have 

experienced the red light therapy and could tell 

within a couple of sessions it was helping. I feel 

extremely grateful. 

The ’red light therapy’ in question is the 

aforementioned black-magic mumbo jumbo, 

and I can also show you something that a 

Christie patient gave to Alex as a thank you that 

will make your heart melt. If you fancy coming to 

have a chat about the impact it can have upon 

the quality of a patient’s life then please do come 

and speak to me on our stand. 

You never know, you might be impressed. 

Paul | UK Oncology Manager 



Why caring for 

a dry mouth 

is important 

for oral cancer 

patients 

Radiotherapy or chemotherapy 

treatments to the head and neck can 

often affect the salivary glands, which 

may result in your mouth becoming dry. 

After treatment you might find your dry 

mouth disappears as the salivary glands 

recover, but your saliva might be thicker and stickier than before. 

For some patients dry mouth becomes a permanent problem. 

Why is saliva important? 

Saliva plays an important role in both keeping your mouth moist 

and comfortable, as well as keeping the mouth healthy. 

Whilst saliva is 99% water, the remaining 1% [which includes 

proteins, enzymes and immunoglobulins] is responsible for 

numerous functions, such as talking, eating and digesting food, 

which we often take for granted. 

Saliva helps wash away food debris, restore the natural pH of 

the mouth to protect dental hard tissues [such as enamel] and 

protect against tooth decay. 

A lack of saliva 

A lack of saliva, or change in its texture, might make chewing 

and swallowing food, or even talking more difficult. It can also 

increase the risk of dental problems, such as tooth decay and 

gum disease. 

So it’s vital to maintain your oral hygiene to minimise the risk 

of oral disease especially for those that may be nil by mouth or 

PEG fed. Regular dental visits, as well as brushing your teeth 

twice a day with an appropriate fluoride toothpaste is important. 

Ask your dentist or hygienist for advice on toothpastes as some 

contain foaming agents [commonly sodium lauryl sulphate – 

SLS], which can dry your mouth further. 

Managing a dry mouth 

You might also find artificial saliva products, such as Oralieve Moisturising Mouth 

Spray or Gel, can help moisten your mouth and throat, making speaking, eating and 

swallowing more comfortable. 

The Oralieve range of products is specially designed for people suffering from dry or 

sensitive mouths to help provide relief throughout the day and night. Formulated 

with bioactive ingredients and enzymes which help supplement the natural systems 

in saliva, Oralieve works to restore the natural balance of the mouth, whilst providing 

effective relief. 

Some products can be prescribed, such as Oralieve Mouth Spray and Gel, or can be 

purchased from pharmacies or online. 

Day or night, Oralieve has you covered 

If you are experiencing difficulty in swallowing food, why not try applying Oralieve 

Moisturising Mouth Gel. Simply take a pea-sized 

amount of the gel and massage into the cheeks, 

tongue and gums 20 minutes before eating. 

When you are out and about Oralieve 

Moisturising Mouth Spray is a simple and 

discreet option for use during the day. Simply 

spray into the cheeks to instantly refresh your 

mouth and provide effective relief from a dry 

mouth. 

Night-time can be a real challenge for dry 

mouth sufferers as the mouth naturally 

produces less saliva. Sipping water can often 

lead to interrupted sleep and increased visits to 

the toilet. 

Applying Oralieve Moisturising Mouth Gel 20 

minutes before bed, and supplementing with 

Oralieve Moisturising Mouth Spray can help 

keep your mouth feeling moist and comfortable, 

aiding restful sleep. 

Find out what works best for you 

Every mouth is different, so it is important to try 

different types of artificial saliva product to find 

out which work best for you. 

Ask your dental professional for advice as they 

may be able to give you samples to try. For 

samples of Oralieve products visit www.oralieve. 

co.uk or email hello@oralieve.co.uk. 

To find out more visit www.oralieve.co.uk 



Oral Mucositis 

An acute inflammatory and ulcerative 

complication of the mucosal membrane that 

commonly occurs during cancer therapy. 

The primary symptom of OM is intense 

pain, which is usually associated with 

ulcers in the mouth. It can also make it hard 

to talk, eat and swallow (Dysphagia). 

The inflammation in OM can range from erythema to 

severe ulceration and is typically associated with pain and 

discomfort. OM can cause profound psychological distress 

and impairment of quality of life for cancer patients, due to 

the pain and inability to eat solid foods. This can lead to the 

use of nasogastric tube placement or total parenteral nutrition 

use. OM is one of the more significant side-effects of cancer 

treatment and can result from systemic chemotherapy, 

radiation therapy, or a combination of the two. 

Prevalence of OM: 

It’s estimated that 40% of people receiving 

chemotherapy will develop some degree of 

mucositis. 

Up to 97% of people who have radiotherapy 

for head and neck cancer will develop some 

form of mucositis, which can include OM. 

Up to 90% of paediatric oncology patients 

may suffer from cancer treatment-induced 

oral complications. 

The oral mucosa is made up of epithelial cells that 

regenerate every 7-14 days, making them easily damaged 

by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. When unable to 

regenerate properly, the oral mucosa becomes thinner and 

ulceration can occur, allowing bacteria and other microbes 

entry into the body. Chemotherapy-induced OM is regarded 

as an acute condition, with ulceration normally occurring 1-2 

weeks after first treatment, and resolving within 3 weeks of 

treatment. 

Radiotherapy-induced OM normally occurs around 2 weeks 

into a 7-week treatment cycle, and resolves 3-4 weeks after 

treatment has ended. Cancer therapy induced-OM can have 

a significant economic impact due to increased healthcare 

costs such as hospitalisation and anti-infective treatment. 

Signs and symptoms of OM include: 

• Red, shiny, or swollen mouth and gums 

• Blood in the mouth 

• Sores in the mouth or on the gums or tongue 

• Soreness or pain in the mouth or throat 

• Difficulty swallowing or talking 

• Feeling of dryness, mild burning, or pain when eating 

• Soft, whitish patches or pus, in the mouth/tongue 

• Increased mucus production or thicker saliva in 

the mouth 

SUPPORT 

BOXES 

Thanks to the Friends of the Swallows we are 

sending Support Boxes to Head & Neck Cancer Patients 

to help them with the side effects of treatment 

To order your box please email 

info@theswallows.org.uk 

with your full name, address, 

telephone number and hospital details 

AVERAGE POSTAL 

COST PER BOX 

£10 

PLEASE HELP BY DONATING 

For people undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy 

SCAN THE QR CODE WITH YOUR PHONE CAMERA 

Factors that increase the likelihood of developing OM 

Patients with compromised oral mucous membranes 

secondary to alcoholism and/or excessive smoking exhibit 

the most severe mucosal lesions. 

• Low body mass index 

• Previous cancer treatment 

• Impaired immune status (e.g. diabetes, HIV/AIDS) 

Furthermore, there are additional factors that can make it 

worse if it does occur, include: 

• Poor oral hygiene and pre-existing mouth damage 

• Smoking or chewing tobacco and drinking alcohol 

• Gender (females appear to be more likely than 

males to develop OM) 

• Dehydration 

Younger patients tend to be more likely to develop OM 

than older patients. This appears to be due to the more 

rapid rate of basal cell turnover noted in children. 

Further information on Oral Mucositis is available 

through The Swallows. Our brochure on Mucosamin at 

the back of this book also contains some tips for dealing 

with Oral Mucositis. 

10104611274 v1 Aug 21 

Treating the painful symptoms of oral 

mucositis, helping to protect lesions 

and promote healing. 

For the management of radiotherapy 

and chemotherapy skin lesions 

supporting the reduction of skin 

inflammation and associated pain. 

Sponsored by 

For more information please visit our stand on 8-9th November or email jalosome@mediuk.co.uk 


jalosome@mediuk.co.uk 

medi. I feel better.

Liquid biopsies – can they help us improve head 

and neck cancer care? You can help us. 

By Ben O’Leary, The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal 

Marsden Hospital, London, UK | ben.oleary@icr.ac.uk 

One question we get asked a lot in the head and neck oncology clinic after patients 

complete their radiotherapy is ‘how do we know if it’s going to come back’? It’s one of 

the most important questions for people who have been through radiotherapy, but the 

honest answer is that for any given individual we don’t know. It’s because we don’t know 

that we see people so regularly even after they have completed their treatment, aiming to 

catch any cancer recurrences as quickly as we can. 

Those of us who work in 

cancer research are trying 

to find more accurate and 

effective ways of detecting 

cancer recurrence. One 

promising technology has 

been called ‘liquid biopsy’. 

All of use have some of our 

DNA floating in our blood, 

which can we detected when 

a blood sample is taken. A 

relatively recent discovery is 

that in people with cancer, a 

small proportion of the DNA 

in the blood can be found to 

have originated form the 

person’s cancer. 

Liquid biopsies – Using blood tests to detect cancer. 

Created with biorender.com 

This means that it might be possible to develop a blood test designed to detect cancer 

recurrence. The available evidence suggests that this could indeed be possible, although 

at present difficult and expensive to do. We could potentially use a test like this to help 

improve cancer detection in people who we have treated with radiotherapy. 

Even though it is possible to develop liquid biopsy tests like this, what is not clear currently 

is whether they are useful and provide benefit for patients. Detecting cancer recurrences 

early could allow earlier treatment, which might improve how people feel or how long 

they live. However, we don’t know this is the case, and it may be that such a test just 

introduces additional burdens for patients in terms of inconvenience and anxiety, without 

helping them feel better or live longer. It often feels logical that more medical testing 

should produce better results for patients, but research has shown this is often not the 

case. Given the expense and the complexity of these liquid biopsies, it is important to 

properly understand if they can really help people before we start using them routinely. 

The Swallows charity, working with colleagues in Edinburgh, has previously sent round a 

survey asking people how they feel about some of these issues. Broadly, people liked the 

idea of such a test, but felt it was important that the test be done with some treatment 

in mind – not just to find out about recurrence, but to find out and then do something 

about it. 

We are now developing a clinical trial to see if using liquid biopsies can improve treatment 

for people with head and neck cancer. We want to take blood tests for liquid biopsies 


from people after they have finished their radiotherapy for head and neck cancer and 

test them for cancer recurrence, giving them treatment based on the result, rather than 

waiting for the patient or their doctors to notice the cancer coming back. 

An important part of clinical trials is comparison. If you want to try something new you 

need to compare it to what you would have done normally to see if it is better. Without a 

proper comparison you will never really know. The best way to get a fair comparison is to 

randomly decide whether people get the usual treatment or the trial treatment – doctors 

or patients can’t choose. 

For our trial, this means randomly deciding whether patients and their doctors get the 

liquid biopsy tests, or whether they don’t. At the end of the trial, we will see whether people 

who, along with their doctors, were given the liquid biopsy information felt better and lived 

longer, or whether they were just more inconvenienced and anxious, without living longer. 

Communicating these ideas, along with the possible risks and benefits is hard to do well, 

but so important to connect with people for whom this really matters – patients with head 

and neck cancer and their families, friends, and carers. We would like your help so we can 

do this better. 

We work with an expert group of patients who we ask to help us with our research plans. They 

flagged the following issues as important which I have tried to explain a bit about already: 

1. Explaining why it was necessary to randomly decide whether a patient and their 

team was informed or not of the liquid biopsy results. 

2. Being clear that the trial would mean extra tests, which could be more 

inconvenient and lead to worry about results. 

3. If the trial showed the liquid biopsy test made a difference, being able to share 

results with the people who had been randomly allocated the usual treatment. 

We believe it is really important to get as many views on this trial as possible and we would 

be very grateful for your help with this. It is harder than ever to get research funding for 

clinical trials, and showing that a trial is supported by patients can make a real difference. 

If you have any views on this trial, supportive or not, we would very much like to hear from 

you, even if just to say you are supportive, or would be interested in hearing more. You can 

email me on ben.oleary@icr.ac.uk. 

Clinical trial design – People in the trial all have blood tests after they complete 

their radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Half of patients have their blood tests 

analysed for cancer DNA and the patients and their doctors are told the results – 

this is decided randomly. The other half have follow up as normal with their blood 

tests only analysed when the trial finishes. Created with biorender.com. 

#HNCCONF2023 33 

>

Head and Neck 

Cancer charities 

come together to create one 

voice in the fight against Head 

& Neck Cancer in the UK. 

The coalition will ensure that there is a more cohesive and 

collaborative approach by members to; Patient Support, Research, 

Education and Policy Advocacy for Head & Neck Cancer in the UK. 

The coalition aims are to include Head & Neck Cancer charities, 

clinicians, surgeons, other members of the Head & Neck Cancer 

multidisciplinary teams, and key industry partners. 

12k 

people will be 

diagnosed with 

Head & Neck 

Cancer every year 

Symptoms 

Head & Neck Cancer 

Make sure you know the dangers 

theHPV Virus 

is linked to some 

Head & Neck 

Cancers 

Sinuses and 

nasal cavity 

Earache 

Lips, tongue 

and mouth 

Salivary glands 

Throat 

Chris Curtis 

CEO, The Swallows H&N Cancer Charity 

e: chris@theswallows.org.uk 

Coalition Members 

www.theswallows.org.uk 

Initial Co-Leaders 

Tamara Kahn 

CEO, Oracle Cancer Trust 

e: tamara@oraclecancertrust.org 

www.oraclecancertrust.org 

• Sore in the mouth 

that won’t heal 

• Sore throat 

• Lumps or patches in 

your mouth 

• Trouble swallowing 

• Changes in voice 

• Lump in neck 

• Prolonged earache 

4% 

Head & Neck Cancers account 

for around 4% of all UK Cancers 

Smokers are 

15x 

more likely to develop 


than non-smokers 

Voice box and 

thyroid gland 

Reduce 

your risk... 

75% of Head & Neck 

Cancers are caused 

by alcohol & tobacco 


Meet the future artists 

honing their skills... 

Tucked away in beautiful Devon, England lies the creative hub of University Centre South 

Devon (UCSD). As part of South Devon College, UCSD upholds rigorous academic standards 

while fostering an environment, where students can thrive and develop their unique creative 

talents. This institution prides itself on offering a diverse range of arts programmes that equip 

graduates with the skills to excel in their chosen creative fields. 

This November, UCSD is thrilled to showcase its students' 

talents at the International Head and Neck Cancer 

Conference 2023 at the Grand Hotel in Torquay. 

Contemporary Arts students will exhibit paintings and mixed media work 

reflecting on their process of artistically interpreting patients' experiences. 

Illustration students will use the conference as inspiration for powerful live figure 

drawing and portraiture. Media Production students will document the events 

through video, interviews and photography. By contributing their creativity to this 

international conference, UCSD's arts students will spread awareness and hope to 

attendees from around the globe. 

Within the halls of UCSD, one will find future artists honing their skills in the Fine Art studios, 

illustrators carefully etching in the printmaking rooms, and actors bringing stories to life. The 

university’s state-of-the-art facilities, including photography darkrooms, MAC suites, and dance 

studios, enable students to learn specialised techniques and put theory into practice. 

The renowned FdA Contemporary Arts Practice course allows artists to explore everything 

from illustration to graphic design, sculpture to textiles, as they shape their own creative 

identities. Through access to expert faculty, exhibition opportunities, and hands-on workshops, 

students gain real-world skills to turn their artistic passions into professions after graduation. 

Beeke 

Gundermann 

Samuel 

Buscombe 

Lily 

Osborne 

Ela 

Seiflow 

UCSD takes immense pride in seeing its 

graduates succeed as professional artists, 

performers, writers, and content creators. 

The university is dedicated to nurturing 

creative talent, sparking imaginative 

thinking, and preparing students 

for careers doing what they 

love. With guidance from 

passionate faculty and 

access to world-class 

facilities, UCSD empowers 

its students to push artistic 

boundaries and shape 

the creative landscape of 

tomorrow. 

Jacob 

Moan 

Sam 

Gilbert 

Mei 

Wilcock 

Marie 

Mustard 

Jessica 

Jones 

Susan Norton 

Turner 

Bradley 

Ellis 

Siobhan 

Price 

Kerry 

Green 



Not all 

disabilities 

are visible 

Tackling Inequalities 

in Head & Neck Cancer 

>>> Educational 

Awareness 

>>> Mission Statement 

“To ensure everyone, whatever their ethnicity is aware 

of Head & Neck Cancer, the signs to look for, how and 

where to seek diagnoses and where to go for support 

and help. Creating awareness for early diagnosis in all 

societies could save lives and go a long way in helping 

the NHS reach point 4 of the Core20Plus5 target of 75% 

of Cancer cases diagnosed at stage 1 or 2 by 2028.” 

Can YOU spot the cancer patient? 

It’s not always possible to see the emotional or physical 

affects of cancer on patients, families and caregivers. 

Everyone’s cancer journey is different. 

‘Survivorship is not Survivorship 

without Quality of Life.’ 

We offer support for Head & Neck Cancer patients and their caregivers: 

24/7 Patient and Caregiver support line service: 07504 725 059 

e: info@theswallows.org.uk | theswallows.org.uk | Blackpool & Fylde, Blackburn & Darwen 


theswallowscancersupport 

@swallowsgroup

EVERY DONATION 

MAKES AN IMPACT 

Leaving a gift in your will to support The Swallows Head & 

Neck Cancer Support Charity will help us to support cancer 

patients, caregivers, family and friends into the future. 

When you are told you have cancer it is devastating and 

support is needed from like-minded people who understand 

what you are going through, so leaving a gift helps us to 

continue our important work. 

HELP TOMORROW'S 

HEAD & NECK CANCER PATIENTS 

PLEDGE A GIFT 

IN YOUR WILL 

TO THE SWALLOWS CHARITY 

PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL FOR MORE INFORMATION 


01253 428 940 | info@theswallows.org.uk 

How does it work? 

It is a very simple and easy process. All you need to do is 

decide on your gift amount and add the following words in 

your will: 

I give to THE SWALLOWS HEAD & NECK CANCER SUPPORT 

CHARITY of Lancaster House, Amy Johnson Way, Blackpool, 

Lancashire, FY4 2RP - registered charity number 1149794 

the sum of [specify words and figures] free of tax for it’s 

general charitable purposes and I declare that the receipt of 

the Legacy Administration Manager or other proper officer at 

The Swallows Charity for the time being shall be a sufficient 

discharge to my executor(s). 

Thank you 

40 

Registered charity number: HEAD 1149794 & | NECK 68-70 Waterloo CANCER Road, CONFERENCE South Shore, Blackpool, 2022 SUNDERLAND 

FY41SP 


The mission of the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance 

is to advance prevention, detection, treatment 

and rehabilitation of oral, head and neck cancer 

through public awareness, research, advocacy 

and survivorship. 

Programs include peer-to-peer support, 

educational webinars, Survivorship Symposium, 

transportation assistance, Awareness Month, the 

Move-a-Thon, and more. 

For more information, please contact 

info@headandneck.org 


DON’T 

MISS 

Relieve the symptoms of 

dry mouth with Oralieve 

Radiotherapy or chemotherapy to the head and neck can 

damage the salivary glands, causing a dry mouth. Salivary 

glands may gradually recover but it can take 6 months or 

even longer to start noticing an improvement. 

Oralieve’s unique combination of bioactive ingredients and 

enzymes supplement natural saliva, helping to bring you relief 

and promote a healthy mouth. 

Patient & 

Caregiver 

Mobile App 

For Patients, 

Caregivers & Health 

Professionals 

SEARCH FOR 


Follow the instructions to set up 

>>PATIENTS: Select your hospital 

>> HEALTH PROFESSIONALS: 

Register as yourself as a Health Professional, 

do not select a hospital 

Conference 

Community Platform 

Scan the QR code and register to 

join in during the conference 

Or you can access the platform 

via the Mobile App 

Specially designed and tested with dry mouth sufferers 

to replicate the same natural enzyme system as saliva 

Formulated with gentle flavours, no alcohol and no SLS 

Effective day and night time relief 

Live polls Latest news Meet other delegates 

Forum 

Meet the sponsors 

Visit the Oralieve stand 

for more information 

To view the full Oralieve range, visit 

www.oralieve.co.uk or scan the QR code. 

For more information, 

please email hello@oralieve.co.uk 

LIVE FROM TORQUAY 

Wednesday 8th & Thursday 9th November 2023 

#HNCCONF2023

A MOUTH CANCER 

SELF EXAM IS EASY... 

3 TONGUE 

1 LIPS 

Pull down your lips and 

look inside for any sores or 

change in colour. Use your 

thumb and forefIngers to 

check for any lumps, bumps 

or changes in texture. 

2 CHEEKS 

Pull out your cheek 

to look on the inside. 

Look for any red or 

white patches. Use your 

thumb and forefInger 

to squeeze and roll 

the cheek to check 

for ulcers, lumps or 

tenderness. Repeat on 

the other cheek. 

Stick your tongue out and look at the 

surface for any changes in colour and 

texture. Gently pull out your tongue and 

look at one side FIRST, AND THEN THE OTHER. 

Look for any swelling, ulcer or change 

in colour. Examine the underside of your 

tongue by lifting the tip of your tongue to 

the roof of your mouth. 

4 ROOF 

OF MOUTH 

Tilt back your head and open 

your mouth wide to check the 

roof of your mouth. Look to see 

if there are changes in colour 

or ulcers. Check for changes in 

texture with your fINGER. 

5 FLOOR 

OF MOUTH 

LOOK AT THE FLOOR OF YOUR MOUTH FOR ANY 

COLOUR CHANGES THAT ARE UNUSUAL. GENTLY 

PRESS YOUR FINGER ALONG THE FLOOR OF YOUR 

MOUTH AND UNDERSIDE YOUR TONGUE TO FEEL 

FOR ANY LUMPS, SWELLINGS OR ULCERS. 

If you have any concerns, 

go to your dentist or 

doctor to see if you need 

SPECIALIST advice 

This illustration is derived from 

Let’s Talk About Mouth Cancer (SC045100) 

Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation

Thank you to all our friends 

for your ongoing support 

FRIENDS OF 

THE SWALLOWS 



Caregivers 

Go through more than they will tell you. 

They give up a lot and rarely have a social life. 

They can become sick and emotionally worn out. 

It's a lot for one person. 

We never really know until we walk in 

the path of a caregiver ourself. 

Kelly’s Treehouse 

•Soothes pain 1 

•Reduces the incidence of 

moist desquamation (MD) 2 

Apply from Day 1 

Soothes & cools the skin 

Non-sticky 

Easy to apply 

www.flenhealth.co.uk 

Scan here for more info 

Reference 

1. Korting HC, Schollmann C, White RJ. Management of minor acute cutaneous wounds: importance 

of wound healing in a moist environment. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and 

Venereology : JEADV. 2011;25(2):130-7 

24/7 patient and caregiver support line service: 

07504 725 059 


48 theswallowscancersupport HEAD & NECK @swallowsgroup 

CANCER CONFERENCE 2023 

2. Censabella S, Claes S, Orlandini M et al (2017) Efficacy of a hydroactive colloid gel versus historical 

controls for the prevention of radiotherapy-induced moist desquamation in breast cancer patients. 

Eu Jnl0ncNsg 29:1-7 


Preserve 

your voice 

Personalised synthetic voices for 

communication aids. 

ENGINEERING 

HOPE 

Helping people who have lost 

or are at risk of losing their 

voice to create a digital 

version of their voice. 

Use your digital voice through 

text-to-speech applications on your 

phone or computer 

Discover how we’re using gene therapies to help build 

a better future for patients with serious diseases at 

MeiraGTx.com 

“I was able to 

surprise my wife with 

my (almost) voice. 

Priceless.” 

“You’ve recreated me, 

thank you” 

Don’t just take our 

word for it! 

Scan the QR code to 

listen to voice samples 

Our Voice Banking Services 

Voice Build 

A synthetic replica of your own voice 

Voice Repair 

A healthy sounding synthetic voice 

even if your speech is already impaired 

Voice Design 

A bespoke synthetic voice, designed by you 

© 2023 MeiraGTx. All Rights Reserved. 


www.speakunique.co.uk 


Can you help? We are seeking volunteers who 

had radiotherapy for head and neck cancer while 

lying down 

The Study 

Sheffield Hallam University and Leo Cancer Care are 

seeking volunteers to participate in a research study 

that considers a novel radiotherapy system where 

patients are treated in an upright position on a special 

chair rather than lying flat on a couch. 

You are eligible to participate if you: 

ü Had radiotherapy for head and neck cancer 

ü Were treated lying flat on a couch 

ü Can raise and lower yourself into a seated position 

ü Have no major mobility issues 

Involvement will require around 20 minutes of your time at the Swallows 

conference, where you will: 

• Read a participant information sheet and sign a consent form (5 mins) 

• Experience sitting in the upright treatment chair for around 5 mins (you will 

not be asked to wear a radiotherapy mask) 

• Be given a questionnaire to complete at your leisure & return it to us (10 mins) 

We would really appreciate your help as we assess patient views on this new form of 

radiotherapy. As a small thank you, participants will receive a £15 One4All gift card, 

covering a wide range of shops and restaurants. 

There will also be an invitation to sign-up for a further online focus group exploring 

patient experiences of head and neck radiotherapy. 

If interested in taking part, please talk to the research team at your earliest 

convenience, we will be based on the exhibition stage at the Swallows conference. 

Or for further information, please email tracy.underwood@leocancercare.com 



HEAD & NECK 

CANCER 

Patient & 

Caregiver 

Mobile App 

HEALTH PROFESSIONAL 

DASHBOARD 

LINKED DIRECTLY TO THE SWALLOWS PATIENT MOBILE APP 

DESIGNED DIRECTLY FOR 

PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS 

» Real Time Messaging 

» CREATE A personal record of 

YOUR symptoms 

» H&N CANCER Signposting 

» Community Forum 

» FAVOURITE Recipes 

» Related Articles 

» Suggested Tips 

PLUS, LINK DIRECTLY 

WITH YOUR CAREGIVER & 

Health professional team 

REMOVING BARRIERS TO CARE 

IN HEAD & NECK CANCER 

YOUR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL DASHBOARD GIVES YOU: 

» Live feedback from your registered patients 

» Priority callback list 

» Patient Symptom Severity breakdown 

» Patient ProFIle and reporting 

» Access to the Community Forum 

» Links to Friends of the Swallows 

SEARCH FOR THE SWALLOWS 


REGISTER YOUR INTEREST: info@theswallows.org.uk 


Shine light. 

Change lives. 

With fluorescence technology, OralID 

provides clinicians an aid in visualization 

of oral mucosal abnormalities. 

C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 

Optimal oral health 

is our goal. 

SalivaMAX is a supersaturated calcium 

phosphate rinse indicated for xerostomia 

and mucositis. 

BioStōm is a non-opioid, oral hydrogel wound 

dressing indicated for all oral wounds. 

C ANCER PRODUCTS 

DIRECT TO PATIENTS 

ForwardScience.com/international 

Find out more at: www.cancerproducts.co.uk 


ForwardScience.com/international 


Find out more at: www.cancerproducts.co.uk

Who is eligible? 

Who is not eligible? 

VERSATILE-002 

A PDS Biotechnology Trial in Head and Neck 

Squamous Carcinoma Cancer 

VERSATILE-002 is a clinical study for patients whose head and neck cancer has 

returned or spread. Patients who enroll in VERSATILE-002 will receive two drugs: 

PDS0101 and KEYTRUDA ® . 

KEYTRUDA ® is an approved drug for patients whose head and neck cancer has 

returned or spread. PDS0101 is an investigational medicine targeting human 

papillomavirus (HPV). PDS0101 has been shown to attack HPV-related cancer. 

VERSATILE-002 will study if combining PDS0101 with KEYTRUDA ® is more effective 

than using KEYTRUDA ® alone. In this study, all patients who choose to enroll will 

receive both drugs. There is no placebo. 

Many head and neck cancers are caused by HPV infection. Most HPV-related head 

and neck cancers are caused by HPV16. PDS0101 has been shown to stimulate high 

levels of HPV16-specific killer T-cells that target and kill head and neck cancers that 

are caused by HPV infection. 

Lauren V. Wood, MD. 

Chief Medical Director 

www.pdsbiotech.com 

You may be able to enroll in the VERSATILE-002 

study if you: 

• Are an adult who has HPV16 positive head & 

neck cancer that has come back or spread 

• Have recovered from complications from 

previous major surgeries or radiation therapy 

• Are in good overall health (determined by an 

exam and blood work) 

• The head and neck cancer tests positive for 

HPV and PD-L1 

Interested patients should talk to their doctor to see if they qualify. 

What will happen during the study? 

If you qualify for and decide to participate in the VERSATILE-002 study: 

You may be excluded from enrolling in 

the VERSATILE-002 study if you: 

• Are pregnant 

• Have active cancer that has spread 

to the brain 

• Have HIV infection 

• Developed complications from 

prior anti-cancer therapy 

• You will undergo screening tests 

• You will receive KEYTRUDA ® treatment every 3 weeks for up to 35 treatments (~2 years) 

• PDS0101 will be given in combination with KEYTRUDA ® during the first four cycles of treatment 

and again during cycle 12 

• Both medicines are given by injection 

• You will have blood work done before each treatment 

• You will have imaging studies every 9 weeks for the first year to evaluate the status of your 

cancer; after the first year, you will be checked every 12 weeks 

• You will receive treatment until either the cancer worsens, or you’ve received 35 treatments (the 

maximum number given in the study) 

An Introduction to PDS0101 

PDS Biotech has developed Versamune ® , a proprietary T-cell activating platform technology designed to 

train the immune system to target a specific type of cancer with minimal side effects and is delivered by a 

simple injection. All PDS Biotech products pair Versamune® with a target to attack specific cancers. 

PDS0101 targets cancers associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV). PDS0101 combines the utility 

of the Versamune ® platform with a proprietary mix of HPV16 antigens, the most virulent high-risk HPV 

type and by far the most prevalent in patients with HPV-associated cancers. 

Approximately 43,000 patients are diagnosed with HPV-associated cancers each year, a number unlikely 

to be impacted in the next decade by the increased use of HPV preventive vaccines – given that the time 

from initial HPV infection to cancer diagnosis is often measured in decades. Nearly all of the HPV-related 

cancer patients that PDS0101 might treat in the coming years are already infected with HPV16. 

Men and women are both impacted by HPV-associated cancers, but in strikingly different ways. In 

women, HPV infection most often leads to cervical, anal or vulvar cancer. While most men who develop 

HPV-associated cancer are diagnosed with oropharynx cancer, which affects the head and neck. 




The Symptoms 

Look out for 

the warning signs 

EARLY DIAGNOSIS CAN 

SAVE YOUR LIFE 

Sore tongue, 

non-healing mouth 

ulcers and/or red 

or white patches in 

the mouth 

Pain in the 

throat 

Persistent 

hoarseness 

Persistent 

sore throat 

Foul breath 

Hoarseness or 

voice changes 

Swelling of 

throat 

Painful and/ 

or difficulty 

swallowing 

Lump in the 

neck 

Blocked nose 

on one side 

and/or bloody 

discharge from 

the nose 

WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 

Lump, bump or 

mass without pain 

White or red 

patch 

Persistent nasal 

obstructions or congestions 

Ask your dentist about 

oral screening at your 

next appointment 

SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE 

CALL YOUR GP TODAY 

Any one of these symptoms in the head and neck area could indicate 

Head & Neck Cancer, contact your GP immediately 

Any one of these symptoms in the head and neck area could indicate 

Head & Neck Cancer, contact your GP immediately 



The only integrated care and distribution 

service for people with a laryngectomy and 

tracheostomy in the UK 

Best start 

• Enhanced support for your first six 

months with CQC Registered Nurses 

on the phone 

• Regular liaison with clinicians for 

joined up care 

Connection hub 

• A dedicated Customer Care 

Representative 

• CQC Registered Nurses to 

support you at home 

• Educational and community 

events 

Care delivered 

Community Life 

with Atos Care 

Did you know that as well as providing 

laryngectomy and tracheostomy 

supplies across the UK, Atos and 

the Atos Care service also organise 

a variety of events and activities. 

Want to set up 

a group in your 

local area? 

If so, Atos Care is here to 

offer advice and support. 

Contact us to start the 

conversation! 

• Easy and convenient ordering 

• Rapid, reliable delivery to your 

door 

Communities play a vital 

role in supporting individuals 

with laryngectomy and 

tracheostomy conditions. 

These groups provide a 

safe space for people 

facing similar challenges 

to come together to share 

experiences, discuss any 

concerns or just have a 

relaxing chat over a cup of 

tea. 

This year, we’ve had a busy 

event schedule and one of 

the highlights has been the 

film screening in Glasgow, 

Cambridge and London 

of the award-winning 

documentary, ‘Can you 

hear my voice?’, produced 

and directed by filmmaker 

Bill Brummel. We invited 

patients and clinicians to 

attend and there was plenty 

of opportunity for socialising 

after the screening with 

nibbles and drinks. 

Our Customer Care team 

maintain regular contact 

with thousands of customers 

each month and also 

immerse themselves in 

community events. Last year 

they participated in over 

twenty clubs and groups 

around the country. 

To register for our services visit www.atos-care.co.uk or call 0800 783 1659 

Clinical enquires info@atos-care.co.uk 


Tel 0800 783 1659 

info@atos-care.co.uk 

www.atos-care.co.uk 

Text 07537 417 928 




64 HEAD & NECK CANCER CONFERENCE 2023 #HNCCONF2023 Find out more at: www.cancerproducts.co.uk 

65

Salivary Gland Cancers are rare. 

Over 23 distinct types account for only c.0.3% of cancer 

cases globally each year. They are poorly understood, 

have limited treatment options and poor prognoses. 

Salivary Gland Cancer UK was set up in 2019 to address 

the unmet need for a salivary cancer specific advocacy 

group to support patients, and provide support for the 

development of new treatment options to improve 

outcomes for patients. 

YOUR OLD MOBILE PHONES 

A unique charity world-wide focussed specifically 

on these cancers. A collaboration between a patient 

advocate and a salivary cancer medical oncologist. 

Using co-production we have built an active patient and 

research community working to advance understanding 

of SGC biology, advance research, develop new 

treatments, and support patients and carers. 

Join us? Join Our Network - Salivary Gland Cancer UK 

WANTED 

HELP US KEEP HEAD & NECK CANCER 

PATIENTS CONNECTED 

hello@salivaryglandcancer.uk 

@SGCancerUK 

IN COLLABORATION WITH SIMPAL WE ARE ASKING FOR DONATIONS OF 

WORKING MOBILE PHONES TO HELP CANCER PATIENTS STAY CONNECTED 

WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS AND THE WORLD AROUND THEM. 

www.salivaryglandcancer.uk 


For more information email: info@theswallows.org.uk 


Oncology 

Professional 

Care 

21 - 22 May 2024 

ExCeL London 

World-class CPD 

accredited learning 

Leading product, service 

and solution providers 

1,500+ like-minded peers 

across every stage of the 

cancer care pathway 

Keep in touch... 

Scan the QR code to be the 

first to hear about event updates 

In partnership with: 

An award-winning 

event for oncology 

healthcare 

professionals 

www.oncologyprofessionalcare.co.uk 

#OPC24 

Scan for 

updates 

HEALTHCARE 

ONLY 

P R O F E S S 

Returning 

in 2024 

Head and 

Neck Cancer 

Village 

I O N A L S 

Oncology Professional Care returns 

to ExCeL London on 21-22 May 2024 

Delivering free CPD-certified learning for 

the entire oncology community, Oncology 

Professional Care is the must-attend, multidisciplinary 

event with carefully curated content 

focusing on the whole patient pathway. 

With a two-day conference programme and 

50+ leading suppliers on the exhibition floor, 

delegates will hear real-world expertise and 

will connect with those shaping the future of 

oncology care. 

The 2023 edition brought together a record 

number of 1,300+ healthcare professionals 

to discover cutting-edge developments in 

cancer treatment from world-class speakers 

and hear directly from patients on their 

cancer journeys. A wide range of professionals, 

including oncologists, consultants, radiologists, 

pharmacists, clinical nurse specialists and AHPs, 

attended the conference and exhibition along 

with clinical leads from across the UK. 

Representatives from Macmillan Cancer 

Support, Cancer Research UK, UKONS, BASO ~ 

The Association for Cancer Surgery, and BOPA 

were also in attendance following their support 

in the development of the programme and 

speaker faculty. 

Lucy Clarke, Event Manager, said: “We are 

absolutely delighted with this year’s Oncology 

Professional Care. We achieved 24% more 

attendees than last year, and the feedback 

we are getting from exhibitors, sponsors 

and delegates has been incredible. It really is 

the place to meet for the entire spectrum of 

oncology professionals involved in each stage of 

the patient care pathway.” 

Jo McNamara, Registered Therapeutic 

Radiographer and Senior Lecturer at Sheffield 

Hallam University, said: “Oncology Professional 

Care provides an amazing opportunity to 

connect with professionals and patients from 

across oncology. I love that the patient voice is 

at the heart of this event, whilst also having the 

latest scientific developments in oncology.” 

Dr Anthony Cunliffe, National Lead GP Adviser 

of Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “I had such 

a great experience chairing and attending 

sessions, it was even better than last year. What 

an amazing opportunity to hear from such a 

high calibre of speakers from across oncology 

professions and get some great insight from 

the exhibitors regarding advances in oncology 

care. Already looking forward to Oncology 

Professional Care 2024.” 

Highlights on day one included an opening 

keynote from Holly Roberts, Founder of Larsen’s 

Pride, and Patient Advocates Victoria Gaston 

and Ellie Waters as they shared their personal 

experiences of cancer care. A panel discussion 

including NHS England’s Anna Rarity (Cancer 

Experience of Care Programme Manager, NHS 

Cancer Programme), Emily Corser (Project 

Manager (Living With and Beyond Cancer), and 

Amelia Randle (Clinical Chair SWAG Cancer 

Alliance) focused on mental health and addressing 

health inequalities. Author and Cancer Educator, 

Elaine Vickers, explored the prospects for CAR 

T cell therapy in solid tumours in the Advanced 

Cancer Treatments Theatre, whilst Emma Hallam, 

Macmillan Consultant Radiographer in Post 

Treatment & Late Effects at Nottingham University 

Hospitals NHS Trust, discussed the late effects of 

non-surgical cancer treatment in the Living With 

and Beyond Cancer Theatre. 

Highlights from day two included Mary Oladele, 

CEO and Founder of Cancer Education UK, 

speaking on tackling health inequalities. Chris 

Curtis, CEO of The Swallows Head and Neck 

Charity, and Abdul Ahmed, Consultant OMFS/ 

Head & Neck/Reconstructive/Robotic Surgeon of 

Queen Mary University of London, also discussed 

oral screening in the fight against head and 

neck cancer. 

The next edition of Oncology Professional 

Care is taking place on 21-22 May 2024 at 

ExCeL London. To join us next year, please 

register your interest by visiting the website: 

oncologyprofessionalcare.co.uk/registerinterest-2024 

For delegate enquiries, please contact the team on opc@closerstillmedia.com 

For sponsorship, exhibition or speaking enquiries, please contact Lucy, 

Event Manager, on l.clarke@closerstillmedia.com 


The quality 

of life you 

deserve. 

Head and neck tumours represent diagnoses where the benefit of proton therapy is very high. 

Proton therapy enables us to treat patients with tumours that were previously difficult to manage, 

found near healthy tissues such as the optic nerve, the retina or the spinal cord. Proton therapy 

considerably reduces the risk of developing undesirable side effects of radiation and it 

also reduces the risk of secondary tumours. The benefit of proton therapy can be seen early 

during treatment, as the vast majority of patients manage the therapy without hospitalisation and 

various invasive interventions, such as the insertion of a gastric tube in the stomach to provide 

nutrition. In the long term, proton therapy reduces the risk of damage to the vision, hearing, 

intellectual functions, the risk swallowing and breathing problems, and dry mouth. 

The Benefits 

In addition to increasing curability, the aim is 

to reduce late side effects and maintain the 

quality of life of the patients. 

Significant dose reduction of undesirable 

radiation to the brain, preventing the risk 

of developing memory impairment. 

Significant dose reduction of undesirable 

radiation to the spinal cord by up to 

80%, preventing the development of 

myelopathy accompanied by movement 

impairment or even paralysis. 

Significant dose reduction to all optic 

structures (macula, cornea, retina, 

optic nerve), mitigating the risk of visual 

impairment or loss. 

Lower risk of hearing impairment or 

loss, namely at high frequencies. 

Our Clinic 

The Proton Therapy Center located in 

Prague, Czech Republic, offers the most 

advanced and accurate form of 

radiotherapy currently available. Proton 

beam therapy, using pencil beam scanning, 

allows for a precise dose to be delivered to 

highly complicated target volumes while 

sparing nearby critical organs and healthy 

tissue. 

We know fighting cancer is one of the hardest 

battles you will ever face, but you don’t have 

to face it alone. 

FREE Case Assessment 

Call us 

+44 (0) 1268 919 046 

UK’s leading Head and Neck cancers 

charity dedicated to raising awareness 

and discovering newer and kinder 

treatments. 

Head and Neck cancers are now the 4th 

most common type of cancer in men, and 

the 8th overall yet awareness of the signs 

and symptoms is low and access to the 

latest treatments varies throughout the UK. 

IMPACT SNAPSHOT 

12,400 

new Head and Neck 

cancer cases a year 

50+ 

research projects 

supported 

Oracle Cancer Trust are committed to 

funding world-class research, raising 

awareness of the signs and 

symptoms and leading on service 

delivery innovation - transforming the 

lives of those affected by Head and 

Neck cancers. 

£8m 

awarded for research 

into better and kinder 

treatment options 

Significant dose reduction to the 

structure of swallowing pathways, 

decreasing the probability of swallowing 

difficulties, saliva production disorder, 

and need for the insertion of a nutrition 

feeding tube into the stomach (PEG). 

For more information on how 

Proton Therapy Center can give you 

the quality of life you deserve: 

info@ukprotontherapy.co.uk 

ukprotontherapy.co.uk 

info@oraclecancertrust.org 

oraclecancertrust.org 

0203 475 3471 

Oracle Cancer Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales (1142037). A company limited by guarantee. Registered 

company in England and Wales (7125497).

The RACE to overcome the crisis in 

Head and Neck cancers 

Oracle Cancer Trust 

Since Oracle was founded, we have funded over 

£8million of research projects. Our research 

focus is to provide support and funding for 

projects that result in better understanding, 

data and improved patient outcomes for those 

affected by Head and Neck cancers. 

Head and Neck cancers are the 4th most 

common cancer in men in the UK and the 7th 

overall. Around 12,400 people are diagnosed with 

a Head and Neck cancer each year with growing 

levels of late-stage diagnoses, low public 

awareness and poor rates of mortality. 

Patients are often left with debilitating 

appearance, speech, eating, swallowing and/or 

respiratory problems as well as psychological 

effects of loss of function and change in body 

image. 

Oracle Cancer Trust is the UK’s leading Head and 

Neck Cancer charity. Our mission is to improve 

Head 

and Neck Cancer patient quality of life 

and outcomes in the UK. 

Our charity’s purpose and activities are all 

aimed at improving quality of life 

outcomes for Head and Neck cancer 

patients. To this end, Oracle Cancer Trust 

supports and runs 4 types of projects: 

Research projects: Oracle Cancer Trust 

supports research projects that 

demonstrate potential to deliver and 

drive greater understanding about Head 

and Neck cancers, how best to treat 

them and where the greatest unmet 

needs are. This includes 1) lab-based 

medical research projects, 2) data 

gathering and analysis of disease and 

patient trends, and 3) qualitative and 

behavioural research projects. 

Awareness campaigns: Oracle Cancer 

Trust drives, delivers and supports 

awareness campaigns focused on Head 

and Neck cancers 

Collaboration programmes: Oracle 

Cancer Trust promotes and supports 

collaboration and creates key 

opportunities for knowledge sharing and 

agreeing best practice within Head and 

Neck cancers 

Experience of patients: Oracle Cancer 

Trust will support, promote and 

encourage more focus and 

understanding on the patient experience 

within Head and Neck cancers. 

Oracle jointly funded a new study that suggests 

robotic surgery has high cure rates for some 

Head and Neck cancer patients. Published in 

the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 

results from the RECUT study reveal that, 

following transoral robotic surgery (TORS), the 

two-year overall survival rate for recurrent head 

and neck cancer patients whose recurrence has 

been detected at an early stage is nearly three 

quarters (72%). This improves on other 

treatments currently available to this patient 

group, which often includes further 

radiotherapy or open surgery, in combination or 

alone, or chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy 

with palliative intent. 

Professor Vin Paleri, Project Lead 

RECUT study 

Get in touch 

oraclecancertrust.org 

+44 (0) 203 475 3471 

info@oraclecancertrust.org 

Support Oracle now, donate 

today! 

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2024 Head & Neck Cancer Conference 


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2023 Head & Neck Cancer Conference Guide Book

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