Radical external beam re-irradiation in the treatment of recurrent head and neck cancer: Critical review
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2021 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | HEAD AND NECK-JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES AND SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hed.26485 |
| Keywords | head and neck cancer; radiotherapy; recurrence; re-irradiation; toxicity |
| Attached files | |
| Description | Management of patients with recurrent head and neck cancer remains a challenge for the surgeon as well as the treating radiation oncologist. Even in the era of modern radiotherapy, the rate of severe toxicity remains high with unsatisfactory treatment results. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), and heavy-ion irradiation have all emerged as highly conformal and precise techniques that offer many radiobiological advantages in various clinical situations. Although re-irradiation is now widespread in clinical practice, little is known about the differences in treatment response and toxicity using diverse re-irradiation techniques. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the role of radiation therapy in recurrent or second primary head and neck cancer including patient selection, therapeutic outcome, and risk using different re-irradiation techniques. Critical review of published evidence on IMRT, SBRT, and heavy-ion full-dose re-irradiation is presented including data on locoregional control, overall survival, and toxicity. |