Evolving strategies for combined-modality therapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer

Despite continual advances in the treatment of head and neck cancer, disease-free survival, functional outcome, toxicity of therapy, and overall survival remain less than optimal. While traditional treatment has focused on surgical resection with or without radiation and chemoradiotherapy, newer combined-modality regimens may offer patients a better prognosis, organ preservation, and less morbidity. In this paper, single agents and doublet therapy are reviewed, as are emerging data on the utility of induction therapy, chemoradiotherapy, and surgery as a sequential treatment regimen. Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.