Radiotherapy in pediatric head and neck tumours

According to international protocols, radiotherapy remains a part of the treatment of several pediatric ear, nose and throat tumours. The role of radiation therapy in the treatment of rhabdomyosarcomas, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, nasopharyngeal carcinomas, osteosarcomas and juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibromas is reviewed. The main complications of this type of treatment in children, as well as their management, are described. Finally, we discuss how several technical advances (increased fractionation of the dose, various types of stereotactic radiotherapy, use of tridimensional treatment planning systems) help the radiation oncologist to minimize the toxicity of the treatment for healthy tissues.