Chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer: current status and perspectives

Chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer has achieved remarkable progress in the past two decades. This progress has resulted in efforts to redefine the standard of care for patients with this disease. A brief review of the history of current chemoradiotherapy was conducted to clarify the rationale for this approach. An attempt was made to present problems that remain to be solved. The review showed that chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer is now becoming a vital treatment option for patients with advanced disease. Currently available and upcoming data are about to clarify important issues regarding proper patient selection, standard procedures, management of toxicities, ultimate cure, and quality of life. This newly developed and promising treatment option has, however, confounding problems to be solved. Meticulous collaboration in an experienced multidisciplinary team is required to address these problems and to spread this approach in daily clinical practice.