Currently, radiotherapy and chemotherapy is the most common modality used in the management of primary head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Unfortunately, around 50% of patients experience disease recurrence (rHNSCC). Surgery is therefore often used as a salvage treatment. Salvage surgery (SS) is associated with increased risk of treatment failure and complications compared to primary resections and presents several unique difficulties. Choosing the right patient for salvage surgery is therefore critically important. This article very nicely addresses various prognostic factors, reversible and non-reversible risk factors, and appropriate salvage surgical techniques including level of neck dissection to be considered when choosing patients for salvage surgery.
Which patients are suitable for surgery in recurrent head and neck cancer?
Reviewed by Sangeeta Maini and Bhaskar Ram
Surgery in the Management of Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer.
CONTRIBUTOR
Sangeeta Maini
FRCS ORL-HNS, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Forresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZN.
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