Session Descriptions

Cancer Care: Enhancing Communication, Swallowing, and Quality of Life

August 7–19, 2019 | Online Conference for SLPs

These pre-recorded lectures are on-demand and last only an hour, so you can listen to them whenever time permits!

Pediatric Oncology & SLP Services: Assessment
Jennifer P. Lundine, PhD, CCC-SLP, BC-ANCDS 

This session will address the challenges and opportunities for speech-language pathologists who evaluate cognitive-communication, speech, language, and feeding-swallowing disorders in children and adolescents with cancer.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• describe the potential long-term effects of oncology medical treatments (e.g., chemotherapy, neuroradiation) on cognition, speech, and language
• identify appropriate strategies that should be considered when assessing speech, language, cognition, or feeding/swallowing in children and adolescents with cancer

Pediatric Oncology & SLP Services: Treatment and Return to School
Jennifer P. Lundine, PhD, CCC-SLP, BC-ANCDS

This session will address issues that children and adolescents with cancer face as they transition between medical treatment and school. The speaker will discuss the roles of the SLP and other team members in helping children make these adjustments.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• identify individuals who should be included when planning treatment and/or school reintegration for children and adolescents with cancer
• describe key considerations for treatment and return-to-school planning for children and adolescents with cancer

Speech, Language, Cognitive, and Swallowing Rehabilitation in Patients With Brain Tumors
Jaimie Payne, MS, CCC-SLP

Neurocognitive and communication rehabilitation in patients with brain tumors is different than recovery after stroke or traumatic brain injury. This session will describe basic characteristics of various types of brain tumors, current treatment options, associated sequale, and expected prognosis. Diagnostic and rehabilitation considerations will be reviewed as they relate to speech, language, cognition, and swallowing to help inform the most effective SLP treatment plan.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• describe types of brain tumors and current treatment options
• identify diagnostic and rehabilitative considerations for speech-language, cognitive-linguistic, and swallowing disorders in patients with brain tumors

Nutritional Considerations for the Oncology Patient
Keri Ryniak, RD, CSO, LDN, CNSD

No two oncology patients have identical nutritional needs. This session will address how a dietician makes recommendations, taking into consideration patient/family preferences, cancer type, form of treatment the patient is receiving, and what nutrition impact symptoms the patient is experiencing.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• describe the metabolic changes that occur with cancer
• explain the importance of preventing excess weight loss or weight gain
• identify nutrition impact symptoms that affect a patient’s ability to consume adequate amounts of calories, protein, and fluid

Head and Neck Cancer Diagnosis
Barbara Pisano Messing, MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-S

Head and neck cancer diagnosis is a complex, multifaceted, interdisciplinary, and time-sensitive process in which SLPs are very involved from beginning to end. This session will explore clinical pathways to guide the SLP and other members of the multidisciplinary team – including, most importantly, the patient – through the diagnosis and evaluation process. The session will discuss the SLP’s roles in evaluating, managing, educating, and counseling patients on speech, voice, and swallowing difficulties that may arise from the tumor and from cancer treatment toxicities.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• explain the diagnostic process in head and neck cancer patients
• discuss diagnostic options for speech and swallowing prior to surgical and nonsurgical treatments
• describe clinical pathways to guide the head and neck cancer patient during the evaluation process

Head and Neck Cancer Management: Treatment Toxicities
Barbara Pisano Messing, MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-S

Head and neck cancer treatments affect functional speech and swallowing outcomes. This session will explore treatment strategies, compensatory strategies, and roadmaps to improve speech and swallow function for patients who have received treatment for head and neck cancer.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• Describe surgical and nonsurgical head and neck cancer treatment options
• Discuss speech and swallow function following surgical and nonsurgical cancer treatments
• Describe evidence-based speech and swallowing treatment, toxicities, and compensatory strategies in head and neck cancer patients

Anatomical Transformation of Speech and Swallowing Function Post-Total Laryngectomy
Barbara Pisano Messing, MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-S

Laryngectomy patients experience a variety of alterations in speech and swallowing post-surgery. This session discusses issues related to diagnosis and management of alaryngeal speech and swallowing post-laryngectomy.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• describe the three types of communication post-laryngectomy
• discuss anatomical changes post-laryngectomy
• describe the importance of diagnosing dysphagia in the laryngectomy patient

Cancer and Its Impact on Communication and Swallowing
Heather M. Starmer, MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-S

This session will provide an overview of oncology as it relates to speech-language pathology. The speaker will discuss the types of cancer commonly associated with communication and/or swallowing difficulties as well as the treatments used to manage each type, emphasizing how treatment toxicities may affect communication and/or swallowing. The session will also discuss the roles and responsibilities of the SLP as part of a multidisciplinary cancer care team.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• discuss what types of cancer may lead to functional deficits related to communication and/or swallowing
• define the role of the SLP on the oncology care team
• describe common side effects during cancer care and how these affect the patient in the short and long term

Esophageal Cancer: Implications for Communication/Swallowing
Heather M. Starmer, MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-S

Esophageal cancer and its treatments may result in functional impairments related to speech, swallowing, and other areas of concern to speech-language pathologists. This session will discuss the esophageal cancer diagnosis and issues the SLP needs to consider while caring for patients with this specific type of cancer.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• identify presenting signs and symptoms of esophageal cancer
• define the role of the SLP in the care of patients with esophageal cancer
• describe common side effects during esophageal cancer care and how these impact the patient's communication/swallowing in the short and long term

Head and Neck Lymphedema: Evaluation and Treatment
Christine E. Porsche, MS, CCC-SLP, CLT

Head and neck lymphedema is too often under-recognized and inadequately managed. This session will discuss the anatomy and physiology of the lymphatic system; examine the etiologies behind head and neck lymphedema following head and neck cancer treatment; and explain strategies for identifying, evaluating, and treating patients with head and neck lymphedema.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• identify head and neck lymphedema
• implement a basic evaluation for head and neck lymphedema
• determine the best referral patterns for helping patients with head and neck lymphedema

Pediatric Brain Tumors: Types, Treatments, and Neurocognitive Outcomes
Andrea M. Coppens, PhD

This session will discuss what SLPs need to know about pediatric brain tumors—including the most common types of tumors, treatments, and neurocognitive outcomes—to best serve children with this diagnosis.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• identify the most common types of pediatric brain tumors, including common locations within the brain
• describe types of treatment and possible impacts on brain-behavior functions

Identification and Rehabilitation of Post-Chemotherapy Cognitive Impairments
Lisa M. Clossey, MS, CCC-SLP

This session will identify cognitive deficits that frequently result from chemotherapy and discuss how to evaluate and treat patients suffering from these deficits.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• identify neurological complications of chemotherapy
• set appropriate goals for cognitive rehabilitation for patients with cognitive deficits resulting from chemotherapy

Rehabilitation for Patients With Head and Neck Cancer
Susan Maltser, DO

Patients with head and neck cancer can experience pain and disability from cancer treatment that can affect their quality of life. This session will discuss the current standard treatment for head and neck cancer, as well as common complications—including dysphagia, lymphedema, radiation fibrosis, and trismus—to inform the SLP’s assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning and implementation.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• describe current standard treatment for head and neck cancer
• identify symptoms and proper management of trismus, lymphedema, and radiation fibrosis

Using Clinical Pathways to Care for Patients With Cancer
Aneesha Virani, PhD, CCC-SLP

This session will explore how SLPs can use clinical pathway frameworks to collaborate with other professionals and develop unique rehab plans that deliver optimal, personalized care to patients with cancer across a variety of settings.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• utilize clinical pathway frameworks to develop unique oncology rehab programs
• determine optimal plans of care for patients along the survivorship timeline and across settings
• utilize resources and collaborations to execute plans of care across varied settings and levels of experience

Dysphagia Treatment in Individuals With Head and Neck Cancer
Kate Hutcheson, PhD, CCC-SLP

Dysphagia is multifactorial in head and neck cancer survivors, with tumor type, comorbid conditions, and specific treatment (e.g., surgery, radiotherapy, systemic treatments) contributing to the dysphagia presentation. This session will review common issues - including soft tissue fibrosis, lymphedema, and neuropathy - as they relate to cancer treatments and swallowing function. The session will propose an algorithm to provide standard yet personalized management of dysphagia considering diverse treatment scenarios along the continuum of survivorship, from proactive models of pre-habilitation to management of late effects in long-term survivors.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• distinguish soft tissue fibrosis, edema, and denervation as contributing factors to dysphagia in head and neck cancer
• describe an evidence-based model of pre-habilitation or proactive swallow therapy for patients with head and neck cancer and define target population for proactive therapy
• describe an evidence-based model for reactive swallowing therapy and define target population for reactive therapy

Navigating Hard Conversations in Palliative Care
Katie Roza, MD

Conversations about difficult topics are usually laden with emotions for both patients and clinicians. This session will provide communication tools to help you navigate difficult conversations.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• define palliative care and hospice
• discuss common communication challenges when caring for patients with cancer and their families
• identify and use communication strategies for hard conversations
• describe specific challenges associated with survivorship care and those associated with end-of-life care