Leadership in Head and Neck Cancer | UPMC Physician Resources

The University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center host one of only five Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPOREs) in head and neck cancer in the nation, led by Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD, and Heath Skinner, MD, PhD. The goal of the SPORE is to better understand the efficiency of personalized treatments for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

While the SPORE aims to better understand treatments, another program at UPMC Hillman and the University of Pittsburgh — the Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship Clinic — focuses on life both during and after treatment.

A member of the Biobehavioral Cancer Control Program at UPMC Hillman, Marci Nilsen, PhD, RN, noticed how many patients had a variety of side effects that had an impact on their everyday lives even after their cancer was treated, including the inability to communicate with their providers. Dr. Nilsen and Jonas Johnson, MD, developed the Survivorship Clinic in 2016 to address those side effects in a multidisciplinary, patient-centered way.

Catherine Palmer, PhD, Honored with National Audiology Award | UPMC Physician Resources

The American Academy of Audiology is honoring Catherine Palmer, PhD, professor and interim chair in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders (CSD), professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, and director of Audiology at UPMC with the Honors of the Academy award. This is given to an audiologist in recognition of their exceptional support of the field of audiology by focusing on issues in the profession and ones that directly affect consumers who have hearing loss and balance disorders.

UPMC Department of Otolaryngology Welcomes New Faculty Members | UPMC Physician Resources

The UPMC Department of Otolaryngology, along with the Division of Head and Neck Surgery and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, is pleased to welcome six new faculty members: Angela Mazul, PhD; Garret Choby, MD; Kevin Contrera, MD, MPH; Christina Yver, MD; Melissa McGovern, PhD; and Thomas Kaffenberger, MD.

Marci Nilsen, PhD, RN, Receives NIH R37 MERIT Award to Study Radiation-Induced Treatment Toxicity in Head and Neck Cancer Patients | UPMC Physician Resources

Marci Nilsen, PhD, RN, assistant professor in the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing and the Department of Otolaryngology, for receiving a prestigious National Institutes of Health (NIH) R37 Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) award that will further her research into head and neck cancer survivorship and treatment-related toxicities and morbidities, specifically how radiation-induced fibrosis impacts patients longitudinally. In 2016, Dr. Nilsen, in partnership with the Department of Otolaryngology and former department chair Jonas T. Johnson, MD, created the UPMC Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship Clinic, which at the time was one of the very first such multidisciplinary clinics in the U.S. dedicated to caring for the unique needs of head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors.

UPMC Experts Deliver Free Vision and Hearing Care at Annual Mission of Mercy Event | UPMC Physician Resources

The seventh annual Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh took place on Oct. 27 and 28 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, attracting hundreds of volunteers from the UPMC Vision Institute and Department of Otolaryngology, as well as the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine.

Novel Liquid Biopsy of Lymph Fluid Could Guide Precision Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer | UPMC Physician Resources

Lymphatic fluid from surgical drains, which is usually tossed in the trash, is a treasure in the hands of University of Pittsburgh and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis researchers who found that this liquid could inform more precise treatments for patients with head and neck cancer caused by human papillomavirus. José P. Zevallos, MD, MPH, professor and Eugene N. Myers chair of the Department of Otolaryngology at the Pitt School of Medicine and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, was senior author of the study.

Neurosurgery & Collaborations to Advance Minimally Invasive Treatments for Epilepsy | UPMC Physician Resources

In this UPMC Physician Journal feature, go inside the operating room to see an exciting new minimally invasive technique to treat epilepsy– and meet the team of doctors from different disciplines who collaborated to develop this first-of-its-kind surgery, including Carl Snyderman, MD, professor of otolaryngology and neurological surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the co-director of the Center for Cranial Base Surgery at UPMC.

Down Syndrome and Sleep Apnea: A New Treatment on the Horizon - Eye & Ear Foundation of Pittsburgh (eyeandear.org)

In this webinar, Ryan Soose, MD, and Rachel Whelan, MD, focused on the impact of obstructive sleep apnea on patients with Down syndrome and provided an update on current treatment options.

Hearing with the Brain - Eye & Ear Foundation of Pittsburgh (eyeandear.org)

Philip Perez, MD, and Ross Williamson, PhD, discussed cochlear implants, sensory-guided behavior, and transmitting information in this recent webinar.

HPV and the Changing Epidemiology of Head and Neck Cancer - Eye & Ear Foundation of Pittsburgh (eyeandear.org)

José P. Zevallos, MD, MPH, FACS, the Eugene N. Myers, MD Chair of Otolaryngology at UPMC, discussed HPV and how it impacts head and neck cancer.

Nasal Obstruction: The Deviated Septum - Everything You'd Want to Know - Eye & Ear Foundation of Pittsburgh (eyeandear.org)

Grant Gillman, MD, FRCS, discussed possible causes of nasal obstruction, external and internal nasal anatomy, and more.

Head and Neck Microvascular Reconstruction - Eye & Ear Foundation of Pittsburgh (eyeandear.org)

In a recent webinar, Matthew Spector, MD, the new Chief of the Division of Head and Neck Reconstructive Surgery in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh spoke about Head and Neck Microvascular Reconstruction.