[Radiotherapy of lymph node metastases]

Radiotherapy of lymph node stations with clinical or subclinical disease can markedly reduce the risk of recurrence in these regions. The therapeutic gain depends on multiple concurrent risks, the underlying risk of recurrence in the respective lymph node station, the risk reduction by radiotherapy, the risk of local relapse of the primary tumor, the risk of distant metastases, and the risks of side effects of the therapy. An overview of the evidence from randomized studies on radiotherapy of lymph node regions is given.