This week our Weekly Wednesday includes one man's struggles with the DHB system, new research indicates that HBO has limited benefits, researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Centre find some persistent aspects to HPV following treament and Lynn Aspey, explores "the new normal". Enjoy!

Reasons for a hospital pass

1. May 3 

   Hundreds march on Parliament demanding government ... - Stuff.co.nz

   https://www.stuff.co.nz/.../petitioners-march-on-p

This week our Network News covers a great new podcast from our friends in Australia, new developments in immunotherapy, Ellen Goodman gives you the maths on starting the conversation about End of Life Care, and finally some data on the rise of head and neck cancers. 

The Thing About Cancer

Listen to the welcome episode to find out what The Thing About Cancer podcast series is all about – and how it can help after a cancer diagnosis.

Get information and insights as host Julie McCrossin chats to e

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For example, Bell describes a study published by Southwick and colleagues in BMJ Quality & Safetyin which they analyzed patient reports following medical

This week we share with you some commonly head myths about Head and Neck Cancers, a touching story of a rugby player determined to make the best of his end of days, and we look at why there are so few women as surgeons. 

Commonly Held Myths of Head and Neck Cancers

There are many myths associated with head and neck cancer such as how environmental influences can affect our risk, or what role gender plays. Here, Dr Fauzia Riaz helps set the record straight to provide the real facts behind the myt

From our representative Heather Anderson.

The Thursday afternoon sessions started with Prof David Currow (Cancer Institute NSW, Australia) talking about prioritisation experiences in cancer control in Australia – in particular hubs of excellence. See his presentation here.

Hon Steve Maharey, the new Chair of PHARMAC, talked on the processes of PHARMAC – my personal take was that he used his “newness” to avoid the hard questions.  There was an item of interest that he talked on which was a new d

Kia ora tatou,

Stand with our brothers and sisters affected by lung cancer. More New Zealand die of lung cancer than any other cancer. Sufferers are often stigmatised by smoking, when most have never smoked. The Lung Cancer Foundation are looking for support for their petition to have lung cancer declared a health priorty and to approve additional budget for Pharmac to fund lung cancer medications, including Keytruda, Alectinib, Osimertinib and Crizotinib, for all Kiwis with advanced lung cancer

We are intending to make a submission on the current state of the New Zealand health and disability system. We will collate all your responses and present them to the Review. Submissions from organisations are powerful. We intend to advocate for the best treatment, care and support for people affected by head and neck cancer. If you wish to share your thoughts you can do so by accessing our survey here. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GZZY9F8

The Government is currently asking for feedback on the

How to Cope With Post-Cancer Fear

Credit: Photo compliments of Robert Brown Robert Brown, a retired attorney, leans on a sign post at Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, a resort area in the Alps near the junction of France, Switzerland and Italy. Brown has survived throat and bladder cancer and continues to live an active life that includes golf, backpacking and yoga.

You get cancer. You get it fixed. After treatment ends, you get something new: a black cloud that can follow you around for decades. Is this n

Professor Skegg

Heather Anderson continues her summary of attending the Cancer Care at the Crossroads conference. 

For me the Conference started on Wednesday afternoon. The pre-Conference lecture was from Dr Fatima Cardoso.  She is a world reknown oncologist with an interest in Advanced Breast Cancer (ABC) from Lisbon. She and others have been instrumental in setting up ESMO. This is a 10 step guidelines program to improve outcomes for those with ABC.  Dr Cardoso travels the world helping cou

20 March 2018

This we look at asprin and survival of head and neck cancer patients,

Collection and use of medical data, the risks of opioid misuse, the cost of chronic pain to New Zealand, and mental health issues and aHNC diagnosis..#headnecknz #hnc #hnca

Can Aspirin Use Improve Survival in Certain Patients With Head and Neck Cancer?

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin may help improve the chance of survival for some patients with cancer, according to a new study.

The

Kia ora tatou,

Our deepest, heartfelt, condolences to the family and friends of the victims in the Christchurch Mosque shootings. Arohanui.

It's hard to find the words that will acknowledge what happened and how it has made many of us feel. I strongly suggest that if the recent events have left you feeling overwhelmed you seek support from the Cancer Society,  or your General Practitioner.

This week our Network News include a summary of the Palmerston North Support Group meeting held in Janua

13 March 2018

This week our weekly news looks at risks of robotic surgery, a study on managing MRSA, improving health after treatment, post code care on bowel cancer, and a lovely piece on surviving cancer. #headnecknz #hnc #hnca

FDA sounds an alarm on using robotic devices in cancer surgeries, citing concerns about safety and results

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday warned against the use of robotically assisted devices for mastectomies and other cancer surgeries, asserting the

Personalized Risk-Stratified Cancer Follow-Up Care: Its Potential for Healthier Survivors, Happier Clinicians, and Lower Costs

An interesting new take on managing the increasing numbers of people surviving cancer with high needs.

Abstract ONLY: The growth in the number of cancer survivors in the face of projected health-care workforce shortages will challenge the US health-care system in delivering follow-up care. New methods of delivering follow-up care are needed that address the ongoing nee

Heather Anderson, is one of the Network Committee members. Together with Brian Sheppard, she attended the recent Cancer Care at the Crossroads Conference, at Te Papa, Wellington. In this article, Heather shares her thoughts and impressions from the conference.

My mind has been spinning since attending the Cancer at a Crossroads Conference. The conference was at Te Papa in Wellington. So much information and so many phenomenal people. The Data is so specific I will not even try and report on tha

27 February 2018

This week our weekly news looks at Google’s move into Electronic Health Records (EHR). a new device to treat tumours in head and neck cancer, ADHB receives the Rainbow Tick, and the reporting of problems for women surgeons continues.

Google patent indicates plans to develop Electronic Health Record to predict patients' clinical outcomes

Google appears to have plans to develop its own electronic health record (EHR) for clinicians that gathers patients’ medical records and then l