Summary: Authors give the overview of present knowledge and opinions on the role of chemotherapy in combination with methods of locoregional treatment with the stress on radiotherapy in various sequence of these therapeutic modalities. They analyse principles of pretreatment stratification of patients principles of surgery and radiotherapy of primary tumor and neck disease. They devote special attention to the dosage, fractionation of radiotherapy, principles of quality assurance, tolerance doses for critical normal organs and tissues, acute and late sequalaes of irradiation. They analyse principles of sequential, concomitant chemoradiotherapy in neoadjuvant and adjuvant setting. Authors point out to the increased risk of xerostomia and hypothyreosis in conventional fractionation and hyperfractionation. They stress the importance of close follow-up of patients after therapy from the standpoint of early detection of recurrencies and developing of a second new primary cancer of the head and neck area. They indicate newer approaches and prospects to diagnostics and optimization of combined therapy of head and neck cancer.
The radiotherapy of head and neck cancer
