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General Principles of Head and Neck Cancer Treatment

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Clinical Care and Rehabilitation in Head and Neck Cancer

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Abstract

The mucosa of the upper aerodigestive tract constitutes the origin of the majority of cancers within the head and neck region, and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) accounts for 95% of head and neck cancers. Early-stage head and neck SCCs can be treated either with surgery or radiotherapy, usually achieving adequate oncological outcomes. On the other hand, more advanced stages require a combination of surgery and radiotherapy, and in some cases the addition of chemotherapy is necessary to control the disease. The optimal sequence of those three treatment modalities is still unknown and is usually determined by tumor characteristics, as well as patient and the treatment group factors. In this chapter, we endeavor to outline the general principles that guide the treatment of head and neck SCCs. Although the oncologic outcome is paramount in the decision-making process for the treatment of these malignancies, it is of outmost importance to acknowledge the functional implications and morbidity associated with the different treatment strategies.

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  1. Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, London Health Sciences Centre, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada

    Axel Sahovaler, David H. Yeh & Kevin Fung

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  1. Axel Sahovaler
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  2. David H. Yeh
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Correspondence to Kevin Fung .

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  1. Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery and School of Communication Sciences & Disorders , Western University, London, ON, Canada

    Philip C. Doyle

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Sahovaler, A., Yeh, D.H., Fung, K. (2019). General Principles of Head and Neck Cancer Treatment. In: Doyle, P. (eds) Clinical Care and Rehabilitation in Head and Neck Cancer. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04702-3_1

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