Head and Neck Cancer Recurrence : Evidence-based, Multidisciplinary Management

Over the past 5 to 10 years, organ preservation techniques using chemoradiotherapy have gained considerable popularity as first-line treatment of head and neck cancer, especially for oropharyngeal, laryngeal, and hypopharyngeal cancer. This trend is now increasing with more intensified chemoradiotherapy treatment modalities and regimens. This means that more and more advanced disease is likely to be treated with chemoradiotherapy as a primary treatment, with increased likelihood of failure of these treatments (almost half of the patients relapse, but the organ-preserving aspect of chemoradiotherapy makes it in many cases so very worthwhile as a primary treatment). As chemoradiotherapy is a relatively new management philosophy, experience of salvaging patients with recurrences is therefore still relatively limited and expertise of it is not yet highly developed, although it is an area of great interest for the wider specialties involved. This book is specifically compiled to provide evidence-based, multidisciplinary management strategies for this complex and difficult to manage disease, combined with an account of the relevant techniques, results, and possible complications that might arise and how to deal with them. The book is intended for practicing specialists in head and neck cancer both surgery and oncology. It is aimed at the consultant level as well as at senior trainees interested in the field. Special features: - Evidence-based, comprehensive review of the topic, which is very difficult to deal with in clinical practice and poorly covered in the literature - International, multidisciplinary authorship including the top clinicians in their fields; most chapters have a surgeon and an oncologist involved, which offers top expertise and a balanced, multidisciplinary view - General chapters on principles of relevant surgical techniques and radiotherapy; site-specific chapters dealing with specific management of recurrence at each head and neck site.