Curative treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Organ preservation strategies in clinical routine in German-speaking countries

TY - JOUR

T1 - Curative treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Organ preservation strategies in clinical routine in German-speaking countries

AU - Kurzweg, T

AU - Kimmeyer, J

AU - Knecht, R

AU - Hoffmann, T K

AU - Busch, C-J

AU - Lörincz, B B

AU - Schuler, P J

AU - Laban, S

PY - 2016/7

Y1 - 2016/7

N2 - INTRODUCTION: For the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), there are currently no official standard of care guidelines in German-speaking countries, with the exception of oral cavity cancer. In order to learn about the applied treatment modalities in the clinical routine, we conducted a web-based survey to evaluate the local standards of palliative and curative treatment of HNSCC. This article focuses on the curative treatment options and organ preservation strategies.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The survey consisted of a web-based questionnaire that was performed between November 2013 and July 2014. The questionnaire included ten multiple-choice questions and four open questions in the section about curative treatment.RESULTS: Altogether, 62 of the 204 addressed centers participated in the survey. For primary chemoradiation (CRT), most centers used a platinum-based chemotherapy (52/54, 96.3 %). Induction chemotherapy (ICT) was offered in 37 of the 62 centers (60 %). In oral cavity cancer, CRT and ICT were used in 37.5 and 4.3 % of the cases, respectively. In oropharyngeal cancer, CRT and ICT were applied in 44.5 and 10.3 % of cases, respectively. For hypopharyngeal cancer, 44.8 % of the patients received CRT and 11.8 % received ICT, while for laryngeal cancer 35.9 % received CRT and 9.4 % underwent ICT.CONCLUSION: Our data showed that a variety of treatments are used for HNSCC within German-speaking countries. Many centers offer ICT. The majority of the hospitals uses platinum-based therapy as a conservative first-line option in their organ preservation protocols.

AB - INTRODUCTION: For the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), there are currently no official standard of care guidelines in German-speaking countries, with the exception of oral cavity cancer. In order to learn about the applied treatment modalities in the clinical routine, we conducted a web-based survey to evaluate the local standards of palliative and curative treatment of HNSCC. This article focuses on the curative treatment options and organ preservation strategies.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The survey consisted of a web-based questionnaire that was performed between November 2013 and July 2014. The questionnaire included ten multiple-choice questions and four open questions in the section about curative treatment.RESULTS: Altogether, 62 of the 204 addressed centers participated in the survey. For primary chemoradiation (CRT), most centers used a platinum-based chemotherapy (52/54, 96.3 %). Induction chemotherapy (ICT) was offered in 37 of the 62 centers (60 %). In oral cavity cancer, CRT and ICT were used in 37.5 and 4.3 % of the cases, respectively. In oropharyngeal cancer, CRT and ICT were applied in 44.5 and 10.3 % of cases, respectively. For hypopharyngeal cancer, 44.8 % of the patients received CRT and 11.8 % received ICT, while for laryngeal cancer 35.9 % received CRT and 9.4 % underwent ICT.CONCLUSION: Our data showed that a variety of treatments are used for HNSCC within German-speaking countries. Many centers offer ICT. The majority of the hospitals uses platinum-based therapy as a conservative first-line option in their organ preservation protocols.

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.1007/s00106-016-0191-1

DO - 10.1007/s00106-016-0191-1

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 27357174

VL - 64

SP - 501

EP - 507

JO - HNO

JF - HNO

SN - 0017-6192

IS - 7

ER -