Due to improved treatment methods, the survival rate for cancer patients is on the rise. This is also evident in the head and neck cancer population. The survival time of patients who receive non-curative treatment is similarly increasing. Tumours in the head and neck area hold a special place in cancer care, due to their location in a directly visible area and their impact on vital functions such as breathing, eating and drinking, and speaking. Head and neck cancer patients more often face difficulties with food consumption, communication, pain, and cosmetic issues (List, D'Antonio et al. 1996, Murry, Madasu et al. 1998, van der Molen, van Rossum et al. 2009). Furthermore, tumour treatment frequently leads to worse physical functioning, impaired functioning of the shoulder, lymphedema of the face and neck, overall fatigue and psychosocial complaints (Taylor, Terrell et al. 2004, Stuiver, van Wilgen et al. 2008). These problems and complaints have a major impact on patients' quality of life, because of which patients in this particular group may end up in a downward spiral (Rogers, Courneya et al. 2008, Tschiesner, Rogers et al. 2009). Recent research has shown that targeted rehabilitation can significantly improve recovery and optimisation of functional impairments, participation in social activities and, thus, patients' quality of life (Reilly 1990, Lazarus, Logemann et al. 2000, Salerno, Cavaliere et al. 2002, List and Bilir 2004, Rosenthal, Lewin et al. 2006, Burkhead, Sapienza et al. 2007, Kubrak, Olson et al. 2009, Passchier, Stuiver et al. 2016).
By combining the expertise of the Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (NKI-AVL) in this specialty area with the extensive expertise of Reade[1], the first version of a tailored head and neck rehabilitation (HNR) programme was drawn up in 2009. This HNR programme was published in 2010 and approved as multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme by health insurance companies. The simultaneous development of the guideline 'Cancer Rehabilitation' (http://www.oncoline.nl/cancer-rehabilitation) also underlines the importance of multidisciplinary rehabilitation, as was emphasised in version 1.0 of the HNR programme (IKNL 2011).
[1] As of 31 December 2009 the Rehabilitation Centre Amsterdam and the Jan van Breemen Institute have joined forces and from 1 September 2010 onwards they have continued under the new name Reade.
By combining the expertise of the Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (NKI-AVL) in this specialty area with the extensive expertise of Reade[1], the first version of a tailored head and neck rehabilitation (HNR) programme was drawn up in 2009. This HNR programme was published in 2010 and approved as multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme by health insurance companies. The simultaneous development of the guideline 'Cancer Rehabilitation' (http://www.oncoline.nl/cancer-rehabilitation) also underlines the importance of multidisciplinary rehabilitation, as was emphasised in version 1.0 of the HNR programme (IKNL 2011).
[1] As of 31 December 2009 the Rehabilitation Centre Amsterdam and the Jan van Breemen Institute have joined forces and from 1 September 2010 onwards they have continued under the new name Reade.
