Blog 18: 2-Hour Meeting Answer #3

1.  What is your essential question?
My essential question is "What is the best way to treat head and neck cancer in adults?"
2.  What is your third answer to your essential question (write your third answer in a complete sentence)?
My third answer to my essential question is awareness about head and neck cancer through various mediums such as high school classes, education at the hospital via classes, etc. Education through these mediums, especially about factors that could cause head and neck cancer (smoking, alcohol consumption, sun exposure,etc) would help prevent head and neck cancer for the patients who are susceptible to it.
3.  What are three details to support or justify your third answer (details are examples or facts)?
The three details that justify my third answer are:

• "Reduced odds of head and neck SCC were found for the fruit, vegetable, and lean protein pattern.The fried foods, high-fat and processed meats, and sweets pattern was positively associated only with laryngeal cancer.These findings underline the importance of a dietary pattern rich in fruits and vegetables and low in high-fat and processed meats and sweets for prevention of head and neck cancer." Bradshaw, Patrick T., Anna Maria Siega-Riz, Marci Campbell, Mark C. Weisser, William K. Funkhouse, and Andrew Olshan. "Associations Between Dietary Patterns and Head and Neck Cancer: The Carolina Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Study."American Journal of Epidemiology 172.12 (2012): 1225-233. Print.
• "Our results thus show that even cancer patients with multi-drug abuse and heavy nicotine dependence can quit smoking successfully with structured support. This indicates that cancer could be a ‘teachable moment’ for patients with H&N cancer.The results of our study indicate that H&N cancer patients are interested in quitting smoking if support and help is being offered, even if it is possible that some patients felt obliged to accept participation to please the treating staff. However, a majority of the patients who stopped smoking during RT remained smoke-free during the first year after diagnosis, which indicates that their interest in quitting smoking was sincere." Sharp, L., Johansson, H., Fagerstrom, K. and Rutqvist, L.E. (2008), Smoking cessation among patients with head and neck cancer: cancer as a ‘teachable moment’. European Journal of Cancer Care, 17: 114–119.
• “Compared to subjects without family history, nonsmokers, and non or moderate drinkers, the OR was 42.6 for current smokers, heavy drinkers with family history. History of oral and pharyngeal cancer and laryngeal cancer is a strong determinant of oral and pharyngeal cancer risk, independent from tobacco and alcohol.” Garavello, W., Foschi, R., Talamini, R., La Vecchia, C., Rossi, M., Dal Maso, L., Tavani, A., Levi, F., Barzan, L., Ramazzotti, V., Franceschi, S. and Negri, E. (2008), Family history and the risk of oral and pharyngeal cancer. Int. J. Cancer, 122: 1827–1831.

4.  What source helped you prove this answer is justified for your essential question?
The source that has helped me prove that my 3rd answer is justified for my essential question is taking to Mark Dome, the physician assistant at the Head and Neck Department. When discussing my essential question with him, they told me that the the best way to prevent head and neck cancer, or any other form of malignancy, was for the patient (s) to stop smoking, reduce or stop their alcohol consumption, have dietary measures, and look at the family history because if it is a trait shared in the family, they are more likely to attain some type of head and neck cancer. The details listed above also helped me find justification about it is  imperative for adults to educate themselves about head and neck cancer.
5.  What do you plan to study next and why?
I plan to study the effects of not undergoing the proper procedure during treatment and diagnosis for head and neck cancer, specifically if the patient continues to smoke or practices activities that could increase their risk of developing secondary malignant tumor and/or serious malformations to the face.