[Concomitant chemoradiotherapy of tumors of the head and neck]

Abstract

Head and neck carcinomas represent a histopathologically variable group of tumors with different location. Treatment strategy is similar for most of them. Surgery followed with radiotherapy or chemotherapy is a standard treatment. Radiotherapy becomes the main treatment modality in locally progressive or inoperable tumors. Prognostic outcome is rather poor. Use of different fractionation radiotherapy schemes combined with chemotherapy is aimed to improve the treatment results. Results of recent metaanalyses have shown that concomitant chemoradiotherapy can improve overall survival of patients with locally progressive or inoperable disease.