Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Radiotherapy Treatments for Head and Neck Cancer. Clinician Guide.

摘要

Decisions about treatment for head and neck cancer are largely dependent on the site, stage, and histological characteristics of the disease. Treatment may include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or some combination of these. In recent years, the techniques for external-beam radiation therapy have evolved with the intended purpose of delivering more radiation to the tumor while sparing normal tissues and adjacent vulnerable organs. In recent years, two-dimensional radiation therapy (2DRT), three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT), and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) have been the most commonly used techniques for head and neck cancer. Despite the widespread adoption of IMRT throughout the United States, few prospective, randomized studies have directly compared the clinical effectiveness of IMRT with that of either 3DCRT or 2DRT. Proton beam therapy is less commonly used.