Work

Establishing an integrated approach to head and neck cancer treatment and prevention: The Robert Ebert and Greg Stubblefield Head and Neck Tumor Center Model

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: • Integrated Head and Neck Tumor Center model unites physician, ancillary, and support services. • CareOrbit digital technology may improve education and recovery for head and neck cancer patients. • Peer mentorship program can offer additional support and agency during care. • Program dashboard can be used to track equity, outcomes, and treatment timelines. The newly established Robert Ebert and Greg Stubblefield Head and Neck Tumor Center (HNTC) at Washington University and Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri offers one model for integrated head and neck cancer care. This article presents the HNTC’s guiding principles and its goals to achieve excellence in patient-centered head and neck cancer care. The HNTC’s objectives include bolstering a multidisciplinary approach to head and neck oncology, enhancing patient experience, promoting patient participation in trials, as well as translating preclinical discoveries into clinical applications. Focusing on five major initiatives, we share the HNTC’s approach to clinical excellence, innovative research, and patient outreach and prevention. This tumor center model may provide a framework to improve the comprehensive care of head and neck tumors in diverse patient populations across other institutions.

Source: Oral Oncology

DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2025.107591