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Chemotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced head and neck cancer
Author(s) -
Forastiere Arlene A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/jso.21012
Subject(s) - medicine , head and neck cancer , radiation therapy , larynx , chemotherapy , concomitant , head and neck squamous cell carcinoma , cancer , oncology , surgery , cisplatin
Three decades of collaborative research have led to the integration of platinum‐based chemotherapy into the curative management of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and gains in local‐regional control, organ preservation and survival endpoints. Concomitant cisplatin‐based chemotherapy and radiotherapy is the strategy that has proven most effective for organ preservation for larynx and oropharynx cancers, the treatment of unresectable disease, nasopharyngeal cancer and the post‐operative adjuvant treatment of patients at high risk of recurrence. The evolution of current indications for this multimodality approach is reviewed and current areas of investigation discussed. Nearly all patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer receive chemotherapy as part of initial curative treatment. The focus of future trials should be on survival improvement, toxicity reduction and risk stratification for treatment decision making. J. Surg. Oncol. 2008;97:701–707. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.