title: Function and organ preservation in adult cancers of the head and neck.
abstract: Treatment for primary head and neck cancer has evolved from the use of radical approaches to therapies preserving important functions. Essential to this concept is the maintenance of therapeutic efficacy. The advances of organ-sparing surgery, improved radiation techniques and fractionation, and the addition of chemotherapy and targeted systemic agents, have added to the number of patients who undergo organ-preservation therapy. Crucial functions that can be spared include speech, swallowing, vision, salivation and cosmesis. This paper examines advances in therapy that allow the preservation of these important functions, scenarios where organ and function preservation is indicated, given current technology and agents, and where there might be future improvements.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology, Beth Israel Medical Center, Continuum Cancer Centers, New York, NY, USA. pmehta@chpnet.org
authors.forename: Par S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Louis B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000601:surgery; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D019468:Disease Management; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000379:methods; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011788:Quality of Life; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000517:prevention & control