title: [Modern treatment strategies in head and neck tumors in childhood and adolescence--a review].
abstract: Although malignant tumours are essentially less frequent in childhood than in adults, they also rank second among the causes of death in the first 16 years of life. In contrast to the squamous cell carcinomas of the adult, malignancies of the young are of embryogenic or haematogenic origin, or are sarcomas, and in 80% of the cases regional or distant metastases are probable. On the other hand they are usually highly sensitive to cytotoxic drugs and radiation treatment. Basing on our own patient material of the last 10 years (a total of 502 tumours, including 50 head and neck malignancies), the formation of metastases, some diagnostic criterias and especially current therapeutic schedules are discussed and illustrated. The present combined modalities of treatment including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy as well as "prophylaxis of the central nervous system", have contributed to a fundamental increase in survival. For the most important malignancies in childhood, 3-year survival rates of more than 60% may be expected. These healing rates have become possible only by a interdisciplinary treatment in which the otorhinologist , the radiotherapist and the paediatric oncologist participate. In head and neck tumours of the young the otorhinologist must establish the diagnosis clinically and by biopsy and, if possible, surgically remove the tumour. Finally, he is also responsible for careful follow-up.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000628:therapy; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012512:Sarcoma, Ewing / Q000628:therapy
vernacular_title: Moderne Behandlungsstrategien bei Kopf-Halsgeschwülsten im Kindes- und Jugendalter--eine Ubersicht.