The Evolving Role of Combined Modality Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer

Continuous intra‐arterial chemotherapy for downstaging locally advanced oral commissure carcinoma

“…Recent clinical studies indicate that selective IA infusion therapy could lead to complete disappearance of early squamous cell carcinoma of the lip, with a long‐term and recurrence‐free survival . Our study confirmed an appreciably satisfactory initial response rate (94.6%), which is in line with or even better than most previous studies of selective IA chemotherapy for the head and neck cancers . In addition, the long‐term results of IA chemotherapy before definitive treatment for head and neck tumors have also been reported with a fairly good outcome.…”

“…25 Our study confirmed an appreciably satisfactory initial response rate (94.6%), which is in line with or even better than most previous studies of selective IA chemotherapy for the head and neck cancers. [26][27][28] In addition, the long-term results of IA chemotherapy before definitive treatment for head and neck tumors have also been reported with a fairly good outcome. For example, Cheung et al 9 demonstrated that, for locally advanced oral and oropharyngeal carcinomas, the 3-year survival rate for patients treated with IA chemotherapy plus surgery was 60%.…”

Laparoscopically Harvested Omental Flap for Head and Neck Reconstruction

“…Recently, the trend in head and neck cancer therapy is toward organ preservation therapy in combination with irradiation and chemotherapy. 10 Although the most sophisticated reconstruction procedure after major radical surgery cannot always guarantee a good postoperative function and quality of life for the patients, the laparoscopically harvested omentum flap procedure is minimally invasive and can offer good cosmetic and functional outcomes in organ preservation therapy.…”

Removing the Taboo on the Surgical Violation (Cut-Through) of Cancer

“…When analyzing the treatment results of therapies for advanced disease that rely on piecemeal removal, one must keep in perspective the use of adjuvant therapies such as radiation and chemoradiation. 20 When surgical principles for oncology evolved during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, such adjuvant treatment modalities did not exist. The principles were based on the reliance on surgery alone for providing the best chance for cure.…”