The emerging epidemic of head and neck cancer will be the topic of the next Science Cafe in Omaha on Wednesday, Feb. 16, from 7 to 8 p.m., at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. The speaker will be William Lydiatt, M.D., whose talk will be titled, “Do Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll Contribute to Head and Neck Cancer?”
The event is free and open to the public.
As a professor in the University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Dr. Lydiatt specializes in head and neck cancer. He also is vice chair of the department and serves as a faculty member at the Omaha VA Medical Center.
His talk will cover how human papillomavirus (HPV) is contributing to the increase of head and neck cancer. He also will detail vaccine prevention, treatment options including radiation, chemotherapy and surgical therapy and the role of sexual transmission.
Head and neck cancers account for about 3 to 5 percent of all cancers in the United States and are more common in men and in people over age 50.
Dr. Lydiatt received his training at UNMC then completed a fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. His primary research interest is prevention and treatment of depression in head & neck cancer. He has authored and co-authored more than 30 book chapters and original manuscripts.
Science Cafe is a free educational event sponsored by UNMC and other groups to increase the population’s science literacy. Hosted by UNMC, Bio Nebraska and the Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, Science Cafes are held the first Tuesday of each month in Omaha and one Thursday every other month in Lincoln.
A more scientifically literate populace is a goal in UNMC’s strategic plan. The goal of the committee has been to introduce and get young adults interested in science by presenting it in a casual setting.
Free pizza, provided by the Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, will be available for the first 50 attendees.
For more information about Science Cafes, go to www.unmc.edu/sciencecafe.
Through world-class research and patient care, UNMC generates breakthroughs that make life better for people throughout Nebraska and beyond. Its education programs train more health professionals than any other institution in the state. Learn more at unmc.edu.