Head and Neck Cancer

Developing a psychological therapy for people living with and beyond head and neck cancer

Dr Helena Lewis-Smith is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of the West of England Bristol.

Head and neck cancer affects nearly one million people worldwide each year, including around 12,800 in the UK. Treatment often profoundly alters appearance and essential functions such as speech and swallowing, resulting in body image concerns and increased anxiety, depression and social withdrawal.

To address the limited access to tailored psychological support, Dr Helena Lewis-Smith and her team will bring together evidence and lived experience to identify the key drivers of body image concerns. This work will then inform the development of a new psychological therapy, refined collaboratively with lived experience experts and healthcare professionals, which is meaningful, acceptable and relevant to patients.