Pitt Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Head & Neck Cancer Survivorship

06/13/2026

Feature Friday: New Publication!

We are excited to share our newly published review, "A Narrative Review of Lymphedema Following Head and Neck Cancer Treatment," published in Lymphatics.

Head and neck lymphedema remains one of the most common, and often underrecognized, long-term effects of head and neck cancer treatment. While swelling may be the most visible sign, its impact extends far beyond appearance, affecting swallowing, speech, mobility, quality of life, and social well-being.

In this review, we examine:
🔹 The pathophysiology of head and neck lymphedema
🔹 Current approaches to assessment and measurement
🔹 Surgical and radiation-related risk factors
🔹 Conservative and emerging surgical treatment options
🔹 Future directions, including lymphatic imaging and prevention strategies

One of the themes that emerged throughout this work is how much remains to be learned. Despite affecting a large proportion of survivors, there is still no gold-standard assessment approach, limited treatment options for internal lymphedema, and a critical need to shift from reactive management to prevention strategies.

Our faculty are committed not only to advancing the science of lymphedema but also to developing strategies to prevent and mitigate its impact on survivors’ lives.

05/29/2026

We hope some of you can join this amazing panel session hosted by Cancer Bridges!

Life after cancer comes with its own questions, challenges, and opportunities for growth. Join us for Hear From the Experts: Post-Treatment Education Panel, an evening of connection, education, and support for anyone navigating survivorship.

Hear from medical professionals, mental health experts, wellness specialists, and a fellow survivor as they share practical insights and encouragement for life beyond active treatment.

📅 Thursday, June 4 | 5:30 PM
🍽 Dinner included + bring up to two supportive guests

This panel is open to the public - registration is required - visit Cancer Bridges' calendar to secure your spot!

Because survivorship deserves care, conversation, and community too.

05/29/2026

Our team was excited to participate in the Head & Neck Cancer Information Session & Screening last week! We appreciate the HHead and Neck Cancer Alliancefor providing materials to support this important work. A special thank you to SSandra Stinnett, MD for organizing — and a shoutout to MMarci Nilsen PhD, RN, CHPN, FAAN, for repping her screening team shirt!

We hope to continue showing up for the community we serve.

05/16/2026

What a wonderful surprise! 🎉

A manuscript led by Isabella Lao — part of our longitudinal research project while at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine with Marci Lee Nilsen, PhD, RN, CHPN, FAAN — has ranked in the top 10% of most-viewed papers published in The Laryngoscope (on behalf of the Triological Society) in 2024.

The study examined predictors of neck lymphedema and its impact on patient-reported outcomes in head and neck cancer survivors treated with radiation. Key findings: higher pre-treatment BMI and greater nodal involvement were independent predictors of lymphedema development — and patients with lymphedema reported significantly worse swallowing dysfunction, trismus-related symptoms, and fatigue. These findings underscore the importance of identifying at-risk patients early so we can intervene sooner and reduce symptom burden.

So proud of Isabella and the full team: Jacklyn Berry, PT, DPT, WCS, CLT, Jinhong Li, Zainab Balogun, Baher Elgohari, Heath Skinner, and Jonas Johnson.

05/11/2026

Today, we want to extend our sincere thanks once more to the nurses who lead with expertise, compassion, and resilience every day. Your commitment to patient care and teamwork makes a lasting impact—not just during Nurse’s Week, but all year long.
Thank you for all that you do. 💙

04/26/2026

🔎 Great to be out in the community yesterday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex for a fantastic health fair alongside partners at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center (and of course, Margaret Quinn Rosenzweig), NHL AstraZeneca, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The rain and colder weather didn’t keep us away!

Dr. Joshua Smith. Pitt Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, and Marci Nilsen, PhD, RN, CHPN, FAAN, Director of the UPMC Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship Clinic, had the opportunity to connect with community members, provide head and neck cancer screenings, and raise awareness about the importance of early detection and survivorship care. Events like this are a powerful reminder that bringing care into the community is essential to improving access, engagement, and outcomes. We look forward to continuing this work and reaching even more members of our community.

We’re grateful to everyone who stopped by, asked questions, and took steps toward prioritizing their health—and to the incredible team who made this event possible.

04/20/2026

New work led by Fendi Obuekwe — soon-to-be ENT resident — from our team, just published in Head & Neck. 📄

This study reflects something we see every day in survivorship care — patients' outcomes are shaped not only by treatment, but by the environments and resources around them.

By examining both individual- and neighborhood-level social determinants of health, we found that accumulating social risk is associated with worse quality of life and greater distress among head and neck cancer survivors. Neighborhood deprivation and insurance status emerged as particularly influential.

This reinforces the importance of integrating social determinants into how we design, deliver, and evaluate survivorship care — and the urgency of multilevel interventions that meet patients where they are.

04/17/2026

It's true! Survivors who come before radiation have better quality of life and lower symptom burden after treatment.

Did you know...

that head & neck cancer patients who come to survivorship early prior to radiation have a better quality of life?

Learn more at https://eyeandear.org/2026/03/precision-survivorship-using-data-to-transform-care/

04/15/2026

April is Head & Neck Cancer Awareness Month, and this month we're centering the voices that matter most — survivors.

We'll be sharing stories throughout the month, and we want to hear yours. If you're a head and neck cancer survivor, we invite you to share your experience in the comments.

Your story could be the one that helps someone else feel less alone — or take that first step toward care.

After returning from a trip to France, Kris Molnar, an Executive Director for a non-profit in Wheeling, WV, went to the hospital with an extremely swollen face. After an MRI, a local physician diagnosed Kris with a benign tumor on the vagus nerve. Unfortunately, when surgeons got her in the operating room, they discovered it was cancer. Kris went back to her otolaryngologist and asked for a referral, as she was originally misdiagnosed, and she was referred to Jonas Johnson, MD.

“We talked about a lot of things when we first met,” she said. “[Dr. Johnson] impressed me with how quickly things happened.”

That same day, Kris met with medical and radiation oncology. She decided that they had one shot, and she would do whatever it took, and she did – Kris underwent a clinical trial regimen that combined chemo and radiation.

Although she suffered many side effects such as weight and hair loss, Kris completed treatment and is currently 14 years cancer-free. She continues to see Dr. Johnson and his team through the Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship Clinic, for which she is extremely grateful for.

“I’ve gone through physical therapy and got my mouth to open much wider than before, I’ve had hearing tests, addressed my sleep problems, and saw the dentist. I have learned a lot of things that have helped me since I first started as a patient in the clinic.”

One of the most beneficial aspects of the clinic for Kris was the support she received.

“The process is strange, and you don’t know what’s normal. The Survivorship Clinic helps facilitate discussion about what you’re going through,” she said. “Dr. Johnson and Marci make you feel like you’ve known each other for years, and they truly listen to you.”

Today, Kris is living a fulfilling live with her husband, spending time with horses, volunteering, and traveling.

Kris’s advice to future head and neck cancer patients and survivors is to take advantage of every opportunity, and always remain positive. “Step through it with grit, knowing life will be better on the other end.”

04/13/2026

A head and neck cancer diagnosis comes with a lot of unknowns. One of the first questions patients ask is:

What does treatment actually involve?

The answer depends on the type, location, and stage of the cancer — but for most patients, treatment involves one or more of these approaches:

🔹 Surgery
For many head and neck cancers, surgery can be a first step — removing the tumor and, in some cases, nearby lymph nodes.

🔹 Radiation therapy
Radiation uses high-energy beams to target and destroy cancer cells. It may be used on its own or after surgery to eliminate any remaining cancer cells.

🔹 Chemotherapy
Chemo is often used alongside radiation to make cancer cells more sensitive to treatment.

🔹 Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy represents a new frontier in head and neck cancer care. Rather than directly attacking cancer cells, it works by helping the body's own immune system recognize and fight them.

For many patients, treatment involves a combination of these — coordinated by a multidisciplinary team including surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, and other healthcare providers working together toward the same goal.

Treatment is never one-size-fits-all. Every plan is built around the individual.

💬 If you or someone you love is navigating a head and neck cancer diagnosis, what questions do you wish you had asked at the start of treatment?