title: Photodynamic therapy in palliative treatment of head and neck cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Head and neck cancers account for about 6% of all malignant tumors. Head and neck cancers are responsible for about 650,000 new cases and approximately 260,000 deaths in the world annually. About 50% of patients fail to achieve cure or relapse of cancer occurs despite intensive combined treatment. A small number of patients is eligible for re-treatment, and for most of them symptomatic treatment is used. Photodynamic therapy(PDT) may be an alternative these patients. PDT improves the quality of life in patients who are at the stage of the disease recognized as incurable according to present knowledge.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study group consisted of three patients treated in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery in Poznan due to recurrence of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Patients were qualified to the palliative PDT ( Photodynamic therapy)with Foscan. when other possibilities of treatment have been used up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two patients achieved a partial response (PR) by RECIST criteria. One patient achieved disease stabilization (SD).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Photodynamic therapy is a therapeutic option in the palliative treatment of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The careful qualification of the patients for this type of treatment is very important. One should take into account the location of the tumor and its size. Great advantage of photodynamic therapy is that it can be used repeatedly. Treatment with photodynamic therapy should be performed in specialized centers because of the need of adequate technical facilities. PDT may improve the quality of life of selected patients with incurable cancer of the head and neck.
authors.affiliation: Klinika Chirurgii Głowy, Szyi i Onkologii Laryngologicznej Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Poznaniu, Wielkopolskie Centrum Onkologii.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Golusiński
authors.affiliation: Klinika Chirurgii Głowy, Szyi i Onkologii Laryngologicznej Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Poznaniu, Wielkopolskie Centrum Onkologii.
authors.forename: Bartosz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Szybiak
authors.affiliation: Klinika Chirurgii Głowy, Szyi i Onkologii Laryngologicznej Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Poznaniu, Wielkopolskie Centrum Onkologii.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wegner
authors.affiliation: Klinika Chirurgii Głowy, Szyi i Onkologii Laryngologicznej Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Poznaniu, Wielkopolskie Centrum Onkologii.
authors.forename: Jakub
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pazdrowski
authors.affiliation: Klinika Chirurgii Głowy, Szyi i Onkologii Laryngologicznej Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Poznaniu, Wielkopolskie Centrum Onkologii.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pieńkowski
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000628:therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011788:Quality of Life
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents