Treatment challenges in and outside a network setting: Head and neck cancers

Publication date: January 2019Source: European Journal of Surgical Oncology, Volume 45, Issue 1Author(s): Ester Orlandi, Salvatore Alfieri, Christian Simon, Annalisa Trama, Lisa Licitra, Monika Hackl, Elizabeth Van Eycken, Kris Henau, Nadya Dimitrova, Mario Sekerija, Ladislav Dušek, Margit Mägi, Nea Malila, Maarit Leinonen, Michel Velten, Xavier Troussard, Veronique Bouvier, Anne-Valérie Guizard, Anne-Marie Bouvier, Patrick ArveuxAbstractHead and neck cancer (HNC) is a rare disease that can affect different sites and is characterized by variable incidence and 5-year survival rates across Europe.Multiple factors need to be considered when choosing the most appropriate treatment for HNC patients, such as age, comorbidities, social issues, and especially whether to prefer surgery or radiation-based protocols. Given the complexity of this scenario, the creation of a highly specialized multidisciplinary team is recommended to guarantee the best oncological outcome and prevent or adequately treat any adverse effect.Data from literature suggest that the multidisciplinary team-based approach is beneficial for HNC patients and lead to improved survival rates. This result is likely due to improved diagnostic and staging accuracy, a more efficacious therapeutic approach and enhanced communication across disciplines. Despite the benefit of MTD, it must be noted that this approach requires considerable time, effort and financial resources and is usually more frequent in highly organize...
Source: European Journal of Surgical Oncology (EJSO) - Category: Surgery Source Type: research