Current management strategy of hypopharyngeal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the hypopharynx represents a distinct clinical entity among other cancers of the head and neck region. Despite recent advances in chemoradiotherapy, surgery remains the preferred therapeutic option for locally advanced disease and salvage for failure after chemo-radiotherapy. In this article, several aspects of surgical and non-surgical approaches in the management of hypopharyngeal cancer are discussed.


METHODS
A search in pubmed was made for publications with regard to the management of hypopharyngeal carcinoma.


RESULTS
In early-staged hypopharyngeal cancer, the overall and disease-specific survival rates after organ-preserving radiotherapy is comparable to that after surgery. However, for advanced staged disease, the results initial surgery with post-operative adjuvant radiotherapy was superior to chemoradiotherapy alone. The incidence of occult nodal metastasis is found to be more than 20%. Selective neck dissection removing cervical lymph node level II-IV is the procedure of choice for patients with clinically N0 neck. Contralateral nodal clearance may also be considered in tumors involving the medial wall of the pyriform recess, post-crioid region or the posterior wall, and those with ipsilateral palpable nodal metastasis and clinical stage IV disease. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has the potential value as the minimally invasive procedure for the management of carcinoma of the hypopharynx.


CONCLUSIONS
The treatment strategy for carcinoma of the hypopharynx has been evolving with time. Organ preserving chemoradiotherapy has been the treatment of choice for early stage disease, with surgical resection and reconstruction reserved for advanced and recurrent tumors.
Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. chanjyw@gmail.com.
Jimmy Yu Wai
JY
Chan
William Ignace
WI
Wei
D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D007825:Laryngectomy; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008866:Microsurgery; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D059351:Organ Sparing Treatments; D010611:Pharyngectomy; D012371:Robotics