Dr. Shawn T Joseph started the Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Department at VPS Lakeshore Hospital in July 2014. Since then the department has grown and developed into one of the finest in the country capable of handling the most complex head and neck cancer cases. It is one of the few Head and Neck units in the country which does the entire spectrum of head and neck cancer surgeries like microvascular reconstruction, transoral laser surgeries for larynx cancers and endoscopic skull base surgeries. The Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Department at VPS Lakeshore has performed more than 3000 major head and neck cancer surgeries of all levels of complexity during the last seven years. During this period a strong Head and Neck Cancer Disease Management Group could be created by close collaboration with departments like Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Nuclear Medicine, Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Neurosurgery, Pathology, Radiology, Endocrinology and Rehabilitation Sciences.

To keep track of the Head and Neck cancer scenario in the community and to improve outcomes, data on cancer and surgical outcome measures are documented for periodic analysis and improvement. The outcomes at the Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Department at VPS Lakeshore, measured in terms of surgical margin clearance and survival figures match the best internationally.

He was also the leader of the team which described “TAMMIL”, a new surgery for preserving voice in selected larynx cancers, for patients in whom complete removal of the voice box was the only option available before. The technique was published in top peer-reviewed international journals. He has also described new surgical techniques in partial resection for larynx cancer and facial nerve identification.

He is the founder Director of the “ Institute of Head and Neck Sciences”, at VPS Lakeshore Hospital. He initiated “ Kocher’s Club”, which is an academic club meant for promoting discussion and innovation in Head and Neck Sciences.

1. Combined Modality treatment in advanced cancers of larynx and hypopharynx: sitewise differences in survival outcomes´ at the World Congress on Larynx Cancer conducted at Cairns, Queensland, Australia, 26-30 July, 2015.

2. Orbital exenteration defect reconstruction: options and outcome´ at the 6th International Congress of the World Federation of Skull Base Societies and 10th European Skull Base Society Congress, 16-19 May, 2012, Brighton, UK

3. Oncological and functional outcome of preserved eye in malignant sinonasal tumours´ at the 6th International Congress of the World Federation of Skull Base Societies and 10th European Skull Base Society Congress, 16-19 May, 2012, Brighton, UK.

4. Reconstruction of bilateral maxillectomy defect´ at the 4th World Congress of the International Academy of Oral Oncology, Rhodes Island, Greece, 15-18 May, 2013