title: Strategies to Overcome Late Complications from Radiotherapy for Childhood Head and Neck Cancers.
abstract: Most pediatric head and neck cancers are treated with radiotherapy, but the morbidity associated with radiotherapy has become a prominent issue. This article discusses the common long-term complications associated with head and neck radiotherapy for childhood cancers. It reviews approaches to minimize toxicity and details the toxicities that head and neck radiation inflicts on relevant functional measures. In addition, it discusses the risk of radiation-induced secondary cancers in childhood cancer survivors, as well as strategies to reduce them. Thus, this article addresses approaches to minimize long-term radiation toxicities in order to improve the quality of life for childhood cancer survivors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, KCBD 6142, 900 East 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center, 1801 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Electronic address: mspiotto@radonc.uchicago.edu.
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Spiotto
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, 5758 South Maryland Avenue, MC 9006, Suite 1D, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
authors.forename: Philip P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Connell
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*
keywords: Image-guided radiotherapy; Intensity-modulated radiotherapy; Proton therapy; Radiation-induced neoplasms; Radiotherapy