title: [Chemotherapy for head and neck cancer].
abstract: Chemotherapy for head and neck cancer was initially used as a palliative treatment in advanced and/or recurrent disease. The overall response rate was about 30% but patient survival was sometimes short. It was also observed that complete responders had a significantly longer survival period than non-responders. Cisplatin-containing regimens including cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil appear to be the most efficacious for this disease. In a large number of randomized trials, organ function preservation studies have shown the possibility of laryngeal preservation for T2 and T3 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer. A survival benefit has been shown clearly in advanced nasopharyngeal cancer. Another survival prolongation has been demonstrated in cases of locally unresectable cancer in the oral cavity, pharynx, nose and paranasal sinus. Thus, we conclude that neoadjuvant chemotherapy can be effective in cases of locally unresectable cancer in the oral cavity, pharynx, and nose and paranasal sinus. In advanced N stage nasopharyngeal cancer, neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus adjuvant chemotherapy may be indicated. Advanced T stage nasopharyngeal cancer is a good candidate for concurrent chemoradiotherapy. For the aim of laryngeal preservation, neoadjuvant and/or concurrent chemoradiotherapy can be indicated for T2 and T3 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Otorhinolaryngology, National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kohno
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitahara
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D017741:Survivors