[Radiochemotherapy concepts in advanced carcinomas of the mouth, oro- and hypopharynx]

Among combined radiochemotherapy regimens of advanced head and neck tumors four modalities can be discriminated: 1. Induction chemotherapy, 2. simultaneous radiochemotherapy, 3. adjuvant chemotherapy, 4. accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The results of the presently available randomized trials are as follows: 1. Induction chemotherapy has no influence on long-term recurrence-free survival. 2. With respect to simultaneous radiochemotherapy, recurrence-free survival has been unproved with 5-FU and Mitomycin C. 3. There is evidence that adjuvant cisplatin therapy improves recurrence-free survival. 4. No results are available to date using hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy regimens in combination with chemotherapy.