Management of isolated nodal recurrence after head and neck cancer treatment

Abstract

The status of the regional cervical lymphatics is one of the most significant prognostic indicators in head and neck cancers. The traditional treatment for cancers with cervical nodal metastasis has been surgical. With the global trend towards organ-preserving therapy, chemoradiation has gained increasing popularity over primary surgical therapies for cancers in the head and neck region. The subsequent management of the neck for those with residual or recurrent nodal metastasis, however, has become one of the most debated topics in the field of head and neck oncology. This review addresses several important controversies, including the optimal assessment of the nodal response to chemoradiation, the potential role and the oncological results of planned and salvage neck dissection after chemoradiation and the type and extent of neck dissection required in order to achieve the optimal balance between tumour control and surgical morbidities. Further clinical trials and ongoing researches will help us to define the best therapeutic option in such circumstances.