Photodynamic therapy in palliative treatment of head and neck cancer
Journal Title: Otolaryngologia Polska - Year 2015, Vol 69, Issue 3
Abstract
Introduction: Head and neck cancers account for about 6% of all malignant tumors. Every year, there are about 650 000 new cases of head and neck cancers and approximately 260 000 deaths around the world. About 50% of patients fail to recover and relapse occurs despite intensive combined treatment. A small number of patients is eligible for repeated treatment and symptomatic treatment is administered in most of these cases. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) may constitute an alternative for these patients. PDT improves the quality of life in patients who are at the stage of the disease considered incurable according to the present knowledge. Materials and methods: Study group consisted of three patients treated at the Department of Head and Neck Surgery in Poznan due to recurrence of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Patients were qualified for palliative PDT (Photodynamic therapy) using Foscan after other possibilities of treatment failed. Results: Two patients achieved partial response (PR) according to RECIST criteria. One patient achieved disease stabilization (SD). Discussion: Photodynamic therapy is a therapeutic option in the palliative treatment of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Careful qualification of patients for this type of treatment is of great importance. One should take into account tumor location as well as its size. Great advantage of photodynamic therapy is such that it can be used repeatedly. Treatment with photodynamic therapy should be performed in specialized centers due to the need for adequate technical facilities. PDT may improve the quality of life of selected patients with incurable cancers of the head and neck.
Authors and Affiliations
Paweł Golusiński, Bartosz Szybiak, Anna Wegner, Jakub Pazdrowski, Piotr Pieńkowski
Keywords
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- EP ID EP76578
- DOI 10.5604/00306657.1156330
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