Can a patient-reported symptom-based risk stratification system improve the suspected head and neck cancer (HNC) pathway?

Our methodology includes six interlinked work packages to deliver our aim, with EVEREST-HN 1 encompassing the first of these and seeking to optimise a patient-reported symptom inventory for HNC and outline requirement specification for the SYmptom iNput Clinical (SYNC) system.

The EVEREST-HN pathway should be based on a comprehensive understanding of existing HNC diagnostic pathways and what patients and clinicians value in these. The language used within the EVEREST pathway needs to be accessible and optimal to elicit appropriate information.

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients:

• Adults ≥ 18 years referred via suspected HNC pathway without previous history of HNC
• Participants willing and able to give informed consent for participation in the study.

Clinicians:

• Staff at participating sites involved in the diagnostic pathway for people with suspected HNC.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals who do not meet the inclusion criteria.

Patients Recruitment will aim for variation in age, ethnicity, socio-economic status, presenting symptoms.

Clinicians Clinical staff involved in HNC diagnosis. Varying in seniority (consultant, registrar) and specialty (ENT, maxillofacial)