New therapies for locoregionally advanced and locoregionally recurrent head and neck cancer.

Abstract

ConclusionsDespite advances in treatment of primary tumors of the head and neck region, recurrent disease signals an ominous outcome for the patient. Recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma continues to be a significant cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Improved surveillance and surgical reconstruction methods should help to enhance the capability of surgery to salvage tumors resistant to prior chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Several recently introduced chemotherapeutic agents either alone or in combination with other agents or re-irradiation appears to be extremely active and effective in this patient population. The upcoming decade is likely to see many trials of novel agents either alone or in combination with currently available treatment options. The availability of these new therapeutic regimens may expand the options of patients with recurrent disease and hopefully will help improve the outcome in a group of patients who otherwise have little prospect of attaining cure.