title: The role of chemotherapy in the curative treatment of head and neck cancer.
abstract: Historically, the application of chemotherapy in patients with squamous cell head and neck cancer had been limited to the palliative setting; however, the role of chemotherapy in the definitive management of these tumors has undergone great evolution during the last 5 to 10 years. Available randomized data currently support a role for chemotherapy as part of combined modality, curative treatment strategies in the management of patients with unresectable disease, advanced nasopharynx cancer, and as part of a larynx preservation approach in patients with advanced larynx or hypopharynx cancer requiring total laryngectomy. Chemoprevention as a strategy to prevent second primary tumors also shows great promise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Solid Tumor Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10021, USA.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Pfister
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Shaha
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D018890:Chemoprevention; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D007825:Laryngectomy; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000517:prevention & control; D010166:Palliative Care; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents