Medical treatment in head and neck cancer

Annals of Oncology 16 (Supplement 2): ii258 –ii264, 2005 doi:10.1093/annonc/mdi735 Medical treatment in head and neck cancer J. B. Vermorken Departme...
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Annals of Oncology 16 (Supplement 2): ii258 –ii264, 2005 doi:10.1093/annonc/mdi735

Medical treatment in head and neck cancer J. B. Vermorken Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium

Introduction Head and neck cancer represents  5% of all cancers and >500 000 new cases are diagnosed worldwide each year. Approximately 60 –65% of patients with head and neck cancer can be cured with surgery and/or radiotherapy. The prognosis of an individual patient depends on the primary tumor site and its extension, the histologic type, nodal involvement and probably grading [1]. The great majority (>90%) of head and neck cancer in the western world is of squamous cell origin. When such patients present with limited disease (stages I and II) they can be effectively treated with single modality treatment. Sixty to 90% will be disease-free after 5 years, the development of second primaries being one the major threats [2]. Most patients with resectable advanced disease (stages III and IV) have in the past been treated with a combined approach (surgery and radiation therapy). Despite such an approach, 60% developed local and/or regional recurrences, 20% distant metastases and others had the risk to develop second primaries. Definitive radiation therapy used as primary therapy for those with unresectable advanced disease resulted in a 5-year survival of

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