title: Consensus recommendations for management of head and neck cancer in Asian countries: a review of international guidelines.
abstract: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a disease of the upper aerodigestive tract and is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers worldwide. A high rate of cancers involving the head and neck are reported across the Asian region, with notable variations between countries. Disease prognosis is largely dependent on tumor stage and site. Patients with early stage disease have a 60-95% chance of cure with local therapy. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are important to increase the likelihood of cure and survival. However, the majority of patients present with locally advanced disease and require multimodality treatment. This necessitates, a multidisciplinary approach which is essential to make appropriate treatment decisions, particularly with regards to tolerability, costs, available infrastructure and quality of life issues. Unfortunately, majority of the studies that dictate current practice have been developed in the west where diseases biology, patient population and available infrastructure are very different from those in the Asian continent. With this in mind an expert panel of Head and Neck Oncologists was convened in May 2012 to review the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) clinical practice guidelines and develop practical recommendations on the applicability of these guidelines on the management of head and neck cancer for Asian patients. The objective of this review and consensus meeting was to suggest revisions, to account for potential differences in demographics and resources, to the NCCN and ESMO guidelines, to better reflect current clinical management of head and neck cancer within the Asian region for health care providers. These recommendations, which reflect best clinical practice within Asia, are expected to benefit practitioners when making decisions regarding optimal treatment strategies for their patients.
authors.affiliation: Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'cruz
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Centre, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Max Multispeciality Hospital, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.affiliation: Rsupn Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo, Indonesia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Atmakusuma
authors.affiliation: St. Luke's Medical Center, Philippines.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Calaguas
authors.affiliation: Maharaj Nakorn Chiangmai Hospital, Thailand.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chitapanarux
authors.affiliation: Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: National University Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.affiliation: Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Singapore Oncology Consultants, Singapore.
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, China.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kwong
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: National Taiwan University Hospital, Taiwan.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Centre, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Prabhash
authors.affiliation: Chulalongkorn University and the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thailand.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sriuranpong
authors.affiliation: Cancer Institute & Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, China.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, Viet Nam.
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Vu
authors.affiliation: Beacon International Specialist Centre, Malaysia.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wahid
authors.affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Ang
authors.affiliation: The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Electronic address: anthony@clo.cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D001208:Asia; D032921:Consensus; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011379:Prognosis
keywords: Asia; Guidelines; Head and neck cancer