[Chemotherapy of head and neck cancer]

Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is a chemotherapeutically responsive tumor. Methotrexate, cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil and bleomycin in various combinations have achieved tumor regression, with complete or partial response, in 60-90% of previously untreated patients. The response to chemotherapy, however, is often short-lived, and conventional treatment has produced little impact on survival. To date, neo-adjuvant and/or adjuvant chemotherapy have also failed to demonstrate any impact on the survival rate, although subset analysis has indicated a possible survival benefit. Furthermore, larynx preservation and reduction in incidence of metastasis have been demonstrated. Concomitant chemoradiotherapy has some positive results in disease free survival and/or overall survival. In this report, we reviewed the literature on neoadjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy, salvage chemotherapy and concomitant chemoradiotherapy for advanced head and neck cancer, and analyzed their efficacy.