Management and palliative chemotherapy for metastatic or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

Abstract

Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck with distant metastases or locoregional relapse not amenable to radical surgery or radiation therapy are incurable. Median overall survival is approximately 10 months and the site of relapse, frequently in the head and neck area, is responsible for important local and regional complications that significantly impact quality of life. This article will focus on the general management and treatment of these recurrent and/or metastatic patients. We will discuss the challenges faced by the clinician when diagnosing tumor recurrence, as well as the indications and the limitations of the locoregional and systemic treatments available to treat this population.

Keywords::

• chemotherapy
• head and neck cancer
• methotrexate
• palliative
• platinum-based chemotherapy
• prognosis

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Aileen Eiszele for editing this manuscript.

Financial disclosure

Jean-Pascal Machiels has consultant activity for Genmab. Sandra Schmitz is supported by grants from the ‘Fonds Spécial de Recherche (FSR) de l’Université Catholique de Louvain’ and the ‘Fondation Saint-Luc, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc’ Louvain-La-Neuve (Brussels, Belgium). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.