Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

Unmet supportive care needs and quality of life in people with head and neck cancer in Australia: a scoping review (145958)

Rex K.Y. Tin 1 , Lachlan McDowell 2 3 , Rebecca Venchiarutti 4 5 , Laurelie Wishart 6 7 8 9 , Carla Thamm 2 , Justin Smith 10 , Harry Luu 6 , Hasti Fadakar 11 , Chindhu Shunmuga Sundaram 12 , Haryana Dhillon 12
  1. School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. Caring Futures Institute, College of Health and Enablement, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  3. Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  4. Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  5. Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  6. School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
  7. Office of the Chief Allied Health Practitioner, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  8. Centre for Functioning and Health Research, Metro South Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  9. School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  10. Radiation Oncology, Queensland Health, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  11. Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
  12. Psycho-Oncology Cooperative Research Group, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Aim

People with head and neck cancer (HNC) experience complex, multidimensional challenges due to the physical, functional, psychosocial, and existential impacts of HNC and its treatment. The aims of this scoping review are: (1) to map the available patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), patient experiences, and unmet needs literature in the Australian context; (2) identify gaps in the existing literature for Australian priority populations; and (3) inform future survivorship research and service for Australian people living with and beyond HNC. 

Methods

This scoping review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping review. A search for English-language publications was conducted in seven databases, (PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, Informit, and Web of Science), supplemented by a search of the grey literature. Title/abstract and full-text screening was conducted independently by two reviewers. Eligible studies were publications involving adults (≥18 years) with a diagnosis of HNC recruited in Australia reporting PROMs, patient experiences or unmet needs pertaining to cancer survivorship or experiences in an Australian healthcare setting. Data will be systematically extracted and synthesized to detail study descriptions, produce a narrative synthesis, and generate an evidence gap map, with particular attention to priority populations as defined by Cancer Australia.

Results

The search identified 4,727 records for screening; of these, 254 full texts were assessed and 112 included in the data extraction. Data extraction is currently underway, and full results will be presented at the conference.

Conclusions

This scoping review will map the available evidence and identify gaps in the understanding of PROMs, patient experience and unmet supportive care needs, and specifically address the gaps pertaining to Australian priority populations. Results will inform future selection of PROMs, equitable supportive care research, and survivorship care for people with HNC.