Skip to main content

Introduction to Head and Neck Cancer

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Imaging in Clinical Oncology

Abstract

Squamous cell cancers of the head and neck (HNSCC) comprise a diverse group of malignancies that include tobacco-related tumors in addition to an increasing number of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers. HPV-associated oropharynx cancer encompasses a distinct biological and clinical entity; it has a more favorable prognosis and may require less intensive treatment. The majority of HNSCC patients present with locally advanced disease for which multimodality therapeutic approach is employed. Despite advances in multimodality treatment, the 5-year progression-free survival rate of patients with HPV-negative locally advanced HNSCC does not exceed 40–50%, and survival rates for recurrent or metastatic (R/M) disease remain very dismal.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 249.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Al-Sarraf M (2002) Treatment of locally advanced head and neck cancer: historical and critical review. Cancer Control 9:387–399

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Weinberger PM, Yu Z, Haffty BG et al (2006) Molecular classification identifies a subset of human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal cancers with favorable prognosis. J Clin Oncol 24:736–747

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Ang KK, Harris J, Wheeler R et al (2010) Human papillomavirus and survival of patients with oropharyngeal cancer. N Engl J Med 363:24–35

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Arens AI, Troost EG, Schinagl D et al (2011) FDG-PET/CT in radiation treatment planning of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Q J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 55:521–528

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Adelstein DJ, Li Y, Adams GL et al (2003) An intergroup phase III comparison of standard radiation therapy and two schedules of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with unresectable squamous cell head and neck cancer. J Clin Oncol 21:92–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. El-Sayed S, Nelson N (1996) Adjuvant and adjunctive chemotherapy in the management of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck region. A meta-analysis of prospective and randomized trials. J Clin Oncol 14:838–847

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Munro AJ (1995) An overview of randomised controlled trials of adjuvant chemotherapy in head and neck cancer. Br J Cancer 71:83–91

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Passero VA, Branstetter BF, Shuai Y et al (2010) Response assessment by combined PET-CT scan versus CT scan alone using RECIST in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy. Ann Oncol 21:2278–2283

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Bonner JA, Harari PM, Giralt J et al (2006) Radiotherapy plus cetuximab for squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck. N Engl J Med 354(6):567–578

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Vermorken JB, Mesia R, Rivera F et al (2008) Platinum-based chemotherapy plus cetuximab in head and neck cancer. N Engl J Med 359(11):1116–1127

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Ferris RL, Blumenschein G Jr, Fayette J et al (2016) Nivolumab for recurrent squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck. N Engl J Med 221:632

    Google Scholar 

  12. Seiwert TY, Burtness B, Mehra R et al (2016) Safety and clinical activity of pembrolizumab for treatment of recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (KEYNOTE-012): an open-label, multicentre, phase 1b trial. Lancet Oncol 17(7):956–965

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amanda K. Psyrri .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Economopoulou, P., Psyrri, A.K. (2018). Introduction to Head and Neck Cancer. In: Gouliamos, A., Andreou, J., Kosmidis, P. (eds) Imaging in Clinical Oncology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68873-2_23

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68873-2_23

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-68872-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-68873-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics