Adjuvant treatment for post-operative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

One of the mainstays of treatment for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is surgery. However, for post-operative patients with high-risk factors for recurrence, surgery alone is insufficient and improving survival requires adjuvant treatment after surgery. Unlike with most other malignancies, the standard adjuvant treatment for post-operative head and neck cancer patients with high-risk factors for recurrence is radiotherapy concurrent with chemotherapy. This review article focuses on the history and future perspectives of adjuvant treatment for post-operative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.