Make Sense Campaign: Celebrating its 5th Year Across Europe

News provided by

European Head and Neck Society

18 Sep, 2017, 07:01 BST

BRUSSELS, September 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

  • Make Sense campaign celebrates its 5th head and neck cancer awareness week across Europe     
  • To mark the 5th year, the Campaign theme is on Supporting Survivorship     
  • Approximately 60% of people with head and neck cancer present with locally advanced disease at diagnosis    
Make Sense Campaign (PRNewsfoto/European Head and Neck Society)
Make Sense Campaign (PRNewsfoto/European Head and Neck Society)

Today, the European Head and Neck Society (EHNS) is pleased to announce the start of the Make Sense campaign's 5th annual head and neck cancer awareness week. Activities around Europe will aim to increase awareness of head and neck cancer, instil the importance of early diagnosis and address unmet needs in cancer survivors.

     (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/556936/EHNS_Logo.jpg )

     (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/556937/Make_Sense_Campaign_Logo.jpg )

Head and neck cancers can be debilitating and their aggressive nature can affect up to eight areas of the head and neck. It's the 7th most common type of cancer in Europe with more than 150,000 new patients diagnosed every year. Men are two to three times more likely to develop head and neck cancer, although the incidence in women is increasing. Being able to identify early signs and symptoms is crucial to survival, as 80 - 90% of head and neck cancer patients diagnosed and treated in the early stages survive. Awareness among the public remains poor despite a marked increase in those surviving following early treatment; however, overall patient outcomes have not yet improved accordingly and more efforts are needed.

"Head and neck cancer is a complex disease, and through the Make Sense campaign we unify and stimulate the head and neck community in Europe to continuously work towards better outcomes for patients," said Professor René Leemans, President of the EHNS and Professor and Chief of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam. "We recognise that newer additions to the treatment landscape offer great hope, although, we must be mindful that supporting patients who survive this aggressive cancer requires an equally determined, long-term, multidisciplinary approach."

Activities are taking place this week across Europe and focus on providing credible, up-to-date information on head and neck cancer to help ensure optimal diagnosis, treatment and survival care.

To find out more information about activities taking place, please visit: http://www.makesensecampaign.eu and click on the interactive map of events.

Campaign Achievements     

The Campaign is proud to celebrate its 5th year in Europe. Teams across the continent work tirelessly to heighten awareness, provide relevant, timely information and materials to those who are in most need, and this is done through various localised activities.

"We are so proud of what the Campaign has achieved these past four years, which includes screening over 35,000 people in 592 clinics open to the public across Europe, and holding three, strategic meetings with European Parliament, among many others", said Dr Sat Parmar, Consultant, Maxillofacial/Head and Neck, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom. "Our partnerships across Europe are truly the bedrock to our success; it's inspiring to see everyone motivated and excited. We couldn't reach so many people without them. We are all set for the 5th year to be the biggest and best year."

About the Make Sense Campaign     

The Make Sense campaign, run by the European Head and Neck Society (EHNS), aims to raise awareness of head and neck cancer and ultimately improve outcomes for patients with the disease. It will do this through:

  • Education on disease prevention
  • Driving understanding of the signs and symptoms of the disease
  • Encouraging earlier presentation, diagnosis and referral

This year's activities include a European Parliamentary event, a session at the 4th Congress of European ORL-HNS and a Summit to bring together stakeholders to discuss the state of head and neck cancer in Europe. To find out more about our events and activities, please visit: http://www.makesensecampaign.eu .

The Make Sense campaign is supported by Merck, Boehringer Ingelheim, Norgine and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

About the EHNS    
The European Head and Neck Society (EHNS) is an international non-profit association based in Belgium. The EHNS is composed of individuals, national and multinational societies, and associated study groups oriented towards head and neck cancer research, training and treatment throughout Europe. Individuals from the rest of the world are also welcome to apply for membership. The intent of the EHNS is to promote exchange of knowledge in all aspects of head and neck neoplastic diseases and to promote the highest standards of research, education and training, disease prevention and patient care. For more information on the society, please visit: http://www.ehns.org.

About Head and Neck Cancer    
Head and neck cancer is a way of describing any cancer that is found in the head or neck region, including the inside of the mouth and tongue ('oral cavity'), the throat ('pharynx') and the voice box ('larynx') and excluding the eyes, brain, ears or oesophagus. This type of cancer usually begins in the squamous cells that line the moist, mucosal surfaces inside the head and neck: for example inside the mouth, nose and throat.

Contacts:
Edward Brightman,
+44(0)20-3595-2430,
secretariat@makesensecampaign.eu

Karley Ura,
+44(0)20-3595-2415,
secretariat@makesensecampaign.eu
 

SOURCE European Head and Neck Society