Historically, locoregionally advanced head and neck CANCER (HNC) was treated with surgery (with or without adjuvant radiotherapy) or radiotherapy alone. Only a minority of patients with locoregionally advanced disease can undergo adequate SURGICAL resection, however, and the outcomes were poor with respect to survival and organ preservation. Furthermore, radiotherapy alone is not SUFFICIENT to SUCCESSFULLY treat most HNC at intermediate or advanced stages. Recently, chemoradiotherapy was shown to MARKEDLY improve survival and organ preservation.

Historically, locoregionally advanced head and neck cancer (HNC) was treated with surgery (with or without adjuvant radiotherapy) or radiotherapy alone. Only a minority of patients with locoregionally advanced disease can undergo adequate surgical resection, however, and the outcomes were poor with respect to survival and organ preservation. Furthermore, radiotherapy alone is not sufficient to successfully treat most HNC at intermediate or advanced stages. Recently, chemoradiotherapy was shown to markedly improve survival and organ preservation.