title: Sequential and Concurrent Chemoradiation: State of the Art.
abstract: Most patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer have locally advanced disease. Sequential and concurrent chemoradiation are standard, nonsurgical, curative-intent treatment options. Controversy remains regarding the superiority of one approach to another. Definitive management strategies are evolving with increasing efforts to pursue deintensification of therapy for low-risk patients, and to pursue therapeutic intensification for high-risk patients. Both sequential therapy and concurrent chemoradiation play important roles in shaping treatment paradigms because both approaches may be used to investigate deintensification or intensification strategies. This article examines the latest evidence and state-of-the-art approaches, highlighting ongoing controversies and future directions.
authors.affiliation: Center for Head and Neck Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.affiliation: Center for Head and Neck Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: Robert_haddad@dfci.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Robert I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Haddad
mesh_terms: D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000379:methods; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D018450:Disease Progression; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D059351:Organ Sparing Treatments / Q000379:methods; D018579:Patient Selection; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Chemoradiation; Head and neck cancer; Induction chemotherapy; Sequential therapy; Treatment