Purpose of review Pain is a major source of morbidity in head and neck cancer (HNC), yet its neural mechanisms remain incompletely defined. This review examines how malignant cells, the tumor microenvironment, and cancer treatment remodel peripheral sensory and autonomic circuits, and how neural activity reciprocally influences tumor biology, with particular attention to findings published since 2023. Recent findings Recent studies show that HNC selectively reorganizes tumor-associated nerves rather than merely injuring a pre-existing neural scaffold. Sensory-neuron transcriptional responses differ by sex, perineural invasion redistributes mechanosensory and nociceptive activity, and cancer-induced injury establishes sympathetic-sensory crosstalk. Tumor-derived extracellular vesicles can program persistent nociceptor hypersensitivity, while adenosine-A2A, protease-PAR2, NGF-neuropilin-1, and EGFR pathways connect tumor metabolism and signaling to neuronal excitability and analgesic tolerance. Conversely, sensory and sympathetic signals promote tumor growth through direct effects on malignant cells, metabolic reprogramming, and local or systemic immune suppression. Surgery and radiotherapy add distinct patterns of denervation, sensitization, and reparative remodeling. Summary HNC pain arises from reciprocal remodeling across tumor, immune, stromal, glial, and neural compartments. Defining how these circuits generate clinical pain phenotypes may support mechanism-based analgesia while avoiding unintended effects on antitumor immunity, tumor progression, or treatment response.
Purpose of review This rapid review aimed to explore literature from the past 18 months (March 2025–August 2026) to investigate how person-centred care is conceptualised and operationalised in palliative and end-of-life settings, with attention to individuals’ core values, dignity, and cultural needs. Recent findings This rapid review identified 32 papers (March 2025–August 2026) and two key themes: person-centred care for different groups, and innovative clinical practices and their impact on health care providers. The literature emphasises culturally responsive, spiritually sensitive, and inclusive palliative care that addresses diversity, identity, disability, and family involvement. Key enablers and barriers include organisational culture, leadership, workforce capability, outcome measurement, and resources. Emerging innovations include new care models, co-designed interventions, environmental approaches, and dignity-focused practices. Summary Recent evidence demonstrates that person-centred palliative care extends beyond symptom management to encompass cultural, spiritual, social, familial, and individual needs. Health care professionals must deliver culturally responsive, inclusive care that recognises diversity, disability, identity, and family involvement. Dignity, compassion, autonomy, and meaningful relationships remain central to high-quality person-centred palliative care. Key priorities for practice include advance care planning, shared decision-making, patient-centred outcome measurement, and education to support complex communication and goals-of-care discussions. Successful implementation requires strong leadership, supportive organisational cultures, and workforce development. Future research should evaluate innovative person-centred models, implementation strategies, and approaches that reduce inequalities and improve outcomes. Future practice and policy should align evidence more closely with practice, remaining mindful of cultural, spiritual, and psychosocial issues.
Purpose of review Unmet palliative-care needs remain common despite the well documented and wider recognition of early and integrated palliative care. This review examines recent evidence on unmet palliative-care needs among adults with advanced, progressive or life-limiting illness, with particular attention to how these needs are conceptualised and addressed across life-limiting illnesses. Recent findings Recent work distinguishes the presence of a concern, access to services, and the sufficiency of the response in terms of unmet palliative-care needs. Patient-level studies continue to show multidimensional needs, with psychological, informational, relational, spiritual, functional, practical, and financial concerns often less visible than physical symptoms. Evidence from non-cancer illness and underserved populations is expanding, but differences in definitions, instruments, thresholds, timing, and reports preclude uncritical comparison. Rurality, poverty, food insecurity, stigma, fragmented care, and communication barriers shape who can disclose needs and obtain support. Implementation studies increasingly link assessment to action, although most demonstrate feasibility, referral, or service contact rather than resolution of the original patient-valued need. Summary Current evidence supports assessment that records concerns about palliative care needs, whether help is wanted, who owns the response, what action follows, and whether support was sufficient. Services should not expand screening without response capacity. Comparative and intervention research should use patient-defined outcomes and include populations currently excluded by language, cognition, geography, and digital access.
Purpose of review Persistent chemotherapy-induced alopecia (pCIA) is defined as incomplete hair growth ≥6 months after chemotherapy completion. This scoping review aimed to identify gaps for future research by mapping pCIA’s incidence, risk factors, quality-of-life (QoL) impacts, presentation, prevention, and management. Recent findings Thirty-nine articles were included. The most common study type was case reports (12/39, 30.8%). Only 2/39 (5.1%) were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Most studies (27/39, 69.2%) reported pCIA in patients with breast cancer. Alkylating agents, taxanes, and anthracyclines were most frequently reported to be associated with pCIA. All six studies that evaluated QoL reported that pCIA negatively affected patients’ psychological, functional, and social well-being. Scalp cooling was the only intervention shown to prevent pCIA in four studies. Twenty-one studies reported on interventions for the management of pCIA. Topical minoxidil was reported to improve pCIA in 7 out of 12 studies (58.3%). Low-dose oral minoxidil demonstrated benefit in 7 out of 7 studies (100%). Summary pCIA’s incidence and risk factors should be prospectively evaluated across cancer types and chemotherapeutic agents. Given pCIA’s significant QoL impacts, RCTs should be conducted to investigate existing and emerging interventions for its prevention and management, and to consider including these interventions in the standard of care.
Purpose of the review Cancer-related pain remains one of the most common and distressing symptoms experienced by people with cancer. Increasing cancer prevalence, longer survival, and greater symptom complexity have highlighted the limitations of traditional, fragmented approaches to cancer pain management. This review examines contemporary models of integrated palliative medicine and pain management services, with particular emphasis on interdisciplinary care pathways and interventional pain techniques. Recent findings Recent literature supports the earlier integration of palliative medicine within oncology services and closer collaboration between palliative medicine and pain medicine within a multidisciplinary service. Integrated service models are associated with improved symptom control, quality of life, and patient satisfaction. Interventional procedures, including intrathecal drug delivery and cordotomy, are increasingly recommended within comprehensive cancer pain pathways for patients with refractory pain. Evidence emphasises coordinated multifrom diagnosis to end-of-life care.disciplinary assessment and timely referral rather than escalation of pharmacological therapies alone. Summary Integrated palliative medicine and pain management services represent an increasingly important model for addressing the multidimensional nature of cancer-related pain. Future research should focus on optimal service configuration, referral criteria, outcome measurement, and equitable access to specialist interventional expertise. Development of an interventional cancer pain registry would further strengthen data collection and models of best practice.
