title: Radiotherapy for head and neck cancer.
abstract: The length and quality of head and neck cancer survivorship continues to improve. Radiotherapy has been central to this process through advances in treatment technology, fractionation schemas, radiosensitizing chemotherapy, and surgical technique. The future of head and neck radiotherapy looks brighter still with progress in radiosensitizing biologic therapy, molecular characterization, functional imaging, and rehabilitative strategies fast approaching. Head and neck cancer, a disease once fraught with nihilism and failure, is evolving into a major success story of multidisciplinary solid tumor management. Continued dedication and work on the part of provider and patient alike will be required to make this promise a reality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Unit 97, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA. docdls@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Garden
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed