- Choose your Stage
1. After Surgery
Short-term side effects
After surgery for localised cancer, side effects are often minor, and generally temporary. Short-term side effects vary depending on the surgery.
- Sore throat – Usually lasts for less than 24 hours, but may be longer in the case of pharyngeal or laryngeal surgery. You may have tubes at the surgery site to drain excess fluid.
- Breathing changes – If your mouth is swollen and breathing is difficult, the surgeon will create a breathing hole in your lower neck (tracheostomy). The tracheostomy is usually temporary. Click here for more information.
- Dietary changes – You will usually start with fluids, move on to puréed food, and then soft foods. A temporary feeding tube may be inserted through your nasal passageway for a few days or weeks. Alternatively, a gastrostomy tube, known as a PEG feeding tube, may be inserted. Click here for more information on managing dietary changes.
Long-term side effects
After surgery for localised or early stage cancer, there are generally few long-term side effects. However, after more extensive surgery, many people have to adjust to significant changes. You may also see a speech pathologist and/or dietitian before surgery to discuss these issues. Talk to your doctor about what to expect.
- Breathing changes – After certain throat surgeries, the surgeon will create a hole in your neck (stoma) so you can breathe. This can be temporary, or permanent in the case of a total laryngectomy. Click here for more information.
- Taste and smell changes – If you have a craniofacial resection, you may lose your sense of smell, and your sense of taste will be affected. If you have a laryngectomy, air will no longer pass through your nose, which can affect your sense of smell. See pages 50–51 for more information.
- Swallowing difficulties – Surgery may affect your ability to swallow. A speech pathologist will let you know safe ways to eat and drink and a dietitian can assist with diet modifications. If you are having difficulty eating or drinking, you may be given a temporary or permanent feeding tube.
- Speech changes – Changes to how clearly you speak and/or the quality of your voice depend on the surgery you had. Speech therapy can assist you in adjusting to these changes. Click here for more information.
- Appearance changes – Many types of head and neck surgery will cause temporary or permanent changes to appearance. You may feel distressed or embarrassed about these changes. A reconstructive surgeon is often able to make physical changes (such as scars) less visible.
- Pain and physical discomfort – If you have lymph nodes removed, you may have numbness, reduced movement and/or pain in your neck or shoulder on the side of surgery. Sensation may gradually improve over 12 months and rehabilitation with a physiotherapist can help you regain movement.
- Vision changes – If the cancer is in your eye socket, the surgeon may have to remove your eye (orbital exenteration). Your changed vision should not prevent you from continuing activities such as driving or playing sport, but it may take time to get used to – and accommodate – the changes.
- Lymphoedema – If you have lymph nodes removed, you may experience persistent swelling in the soft tissue of the affected head and neck area.
Swallowing difficulties
Many people with head and neck cancer have difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) before, during or after treatment.
Surgery in your jaw, mouth or throat – may affect your ability to swallow because of a dry mouth or because tissue has been removed or reconstructed. Radiotherapy – can cause dryness, pain, and changes to the strength of the muscles used in swallowing.
TIP
See the Laryngectomee Association of NSW’s book for swallowing and chewing difficulties at stilltalking.org/#cookbook.
Tube feeding (also called enteral feeding) can help you stay nourished if you are struggling to eat or swallow. You may need tube feeding on either a temporary or long-term basis.
If you have a long-term feeding tube, flexible tubing may protrude 8–10 cm from your abdomen. Your health care team will advise you on how to keep the tube clean to prevent wear, leakage and blockages, and when the tubing needs to be replaced. A dietitian will advise you on a feeding plan to ensure your dietary needs are met.
Many people find that having a feeding tube eases the discomfort of eating and the pressure of having to eat meals. If medications can’t be swallowed, these can also be given through the feeding tube.
However, having a feeding tube inserted is a significant change, and it is common to feel upset about it. Talking to your family, a counsellor, dietitian or nurse may help you adjust to the change.
The side effects may cause you to lose weight. Even a small drop in your weight (e.g. 3–4kgs) may put you at risk of malnutrition. You may be malnourished even if you are overweight.
Significant weight loss and malnutrition can lead to reduced energy and strength, and lower quality of life. Your response to treatment may be reduced and side effects can become more severe.
- Eat small meals frequently.
- Choose foods high in protein.
- Eat and drink nourishing meals or snacks.
- Try walking before meals. Light exercise may help to stimulate your appetite.
- Modify foods to make them easier to chew or swallow.
- Add high energy ingredients to recipes, such as whey powder, full-cream milk, other dairy products (sour cream, butter or cheese), oil, eggs, avocado, or honey.
- Ask your dietitian about nutritional supplement drinks, which may help to prevent weight loss.
2. Support Services
Useful Links
Some key resources that may assist you in your journey…
Questions?
If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch. But in the meantime here are some key questions we often get asked...
Survivor Stories
Some truly inspirational people have been kind enough to share their amazing stories with us…
