[New developments in the treatment and rehabilitation of head and neck cancer in the Netherlands].

Head and neck cancer is relatively rare: in the Netherlands, some 2600 newly diagnosed cases are registered annually. Its treatment is centralised and is actually performed only in Dutch Head and Neck Society (DHNS) accredited medical centres. Although survival rates have improved only marginally, treatment regimens have changed over the past few years. Treatment has become increasingly focused on the preservation of organs and their functionalities. The effects of both a tumour and its treatment can have a serious impact on the functioning and quality of life of a patient. Therefore, sufficient attention to post-treatment rehabilitation is necessary. The Netherlands Cancer Institute has recently collaborated with the Amsterdam Rehabilitation Research Center Reade in developing a structured multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme. This programme has also been made available to other DHNS centres.