Speech, voice, upper airway, and swallowing difficulties may arise at any point along the continuum of care for head and neck cancer patients. The functional impacts on communication and swallowing that patients experience vary based on the cancer location (i.e., oral cavity, nasopharynx, oropharynx, and larynx), stage, and effects of cancer treatments. This webinar will discuss location-specific differences in communication and swallowing evaluation, treatment planning, and prognosis. The webinar will use detailed patient scenarios to illustrate evidence-based strategies SLPs can use to address patient needs while collaborating effectively for interdisciplinary, person-centered care across the head and neck cancer continuum.

Learning Outcomes       
You will be able to:

• Identify three impacts on communication and/or swallowing associated with radiation therapy in head and neck cancer 
• Discuss surgical and nonsurgical interventions for velopharyngeal insufficiency in patients with a history of head and neck cancer 
• Describe three alaryngeal voice rehabilitation options for patients following total laryngectomy

Presenter Information

Lisa Evangelista, CScD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, is an Associate Professor and Director of Speech Pathology at the UC Davis Medical Center, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and is actively involved in clinical practice, academic research, and educational training. She provides comprehensive diagnostics and contemporary management of swallowing dysfunction following surgical interventions and radiation therapy for head and neck cancers. Her academic interests include swallowing physiology following radiation therapy, alaryngeal voice rehabilitation after total laryngectomy surgery, and quality of life outcomes following surgical and medical interventions in head and neck oncology. In addition to lecturing nationally and internationally on diagnostics and therapeutics in swallowing rehabilitation, Dr. Evangelista has authored peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on dysphagia in head and neck cancers. She is involved in global outreach and is a UC Davis Global Affairs Seed Grant recipient with a focus on establishing a clinical education and research program in Kenya.

Disclosures:

• Financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation
• Salary from University of California, Davis Health System

Assessment Type

Self-assessment—Think about what you learned and report on the Completion Form how you will use your new knowledge.

To earn continuing education credit, you must complete the learning assessment by 11:59 p.m. ET on the end date below.

Program History and CE Information

Content origination date: May 6, 2026    
End date: May 8, 2031

This course is offered for 0.2 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level, Professional area).   
Subject code 7010 Service Delivery Associated with Speech, Language, Hearing and Related Disorders