Review of Outcomes after Salvage Surgery for Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

• Authors: Dana M. Hartl, Head and Neck Oncology Service, Villejuif; Joanne Guerlain, Head and Neck Oncology Service, Villejuif; Philippe Gorphe, Head and Neck Oncology Service, Villejuif; Madan Kapre, Neeti Clinics Nagpur; Neeti Kapre Gupta, Neeti Clinics Nagpur; Nabil F Saba, Emory University; K. Thomas Robbins, Southern Illinois University; Ohad Ronen, Bar Ilan University; Juan P. Rodrigo, University of Oviedo; Primož Strojan, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana; Antti A. Mäkitie, University of Helsinki; Luiz P. Kowalski, University of São Paulo; Jatin P. Shah, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; Alfio Ferlito, Coordinator of the International Head and Neck Scientific Group
• Journal Title: Cancers
• Volume: Volume 15, Number 19
• Publisher: MDPI | 2023-09-23, Pages 4692-None
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15194692
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Oncology; Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery; Health Sciences, Public Health
• Keywords: head and neck cancer; squamous cell; chemoradiation; salvage surgery

Abstract

Surgery with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy is the mainstay in treatment for advanced stage head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; however, locoregional recurrences are frequent. Salvage surgery could be proposed in selected patients to improve local control, disease-free, and overall survival. Factors for improved disease-free and overall survival in patients treated with salvage surgery include age, tumor location, the initial T stage, HPV status, resection margins, and the time elapsing from the initial treatment. Clinical trials with adjuvant therapies have shown promise after salvage surgery in terms of tolerance and response, but clinical guidelines for using these adjuvant treatments are currently lacking. The aim of this review is to present current knowledge concerning the incidence and management of recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and current data concerning survival and morbidity after salvage surgery.