Hypopharyngeal cancer

Sendler A, Schuchardt U, Waldfahrer F. A randomized study comparing intensified sequential to concomitant chemoradio therapy for advanced hypopharyngeal cancer. ProcAnnu Meet Am Soc Clin Oncol 1997 16 A1396. 

Park, Y. M. et al. "Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer." Journal of Laparoendoscopic Advanced Surgical Techniques 19.3 (2009) pp. 361-368. 

The three subtypes of hypopharyngeal cancer have distinct characteristics, which can be important to know for correct staging ... 

An early trial sponsored by the National Cancer Institute of Canada failed to establish a significant difference in locoregional control and overall survival when evaluating 212 patients with larnygeal or hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA) treated with 50 Gy in 20 fractions over 28 d or split-course radiotherapy of 25 Gy in 10 fractions over 14 d, followed by a 28-d rest and then 25 Gy in 10 fractions over 14 d beginning on d 43 with mitomycin C (10 mg/m2 on d 1 and 43) in combination with continuous infusion 5-FU (1000 mg/m2/d on d 1-4 and 43-46) (48). Nevertheless, this study suggested that the addition of chemotherapy may overcome the decreased activity of split-course radiotherapy. 

The largest meta-analysis is the Meta-Analysis of Chemotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer (MACH-NC) study evaluating 63 trials with a total of 10,741 patients (Table 2) (69). MACH-NC assessed individual data rather than literature-based data with the inclusion of updated data and unpublished trials. For two-thirds of the trials, individual data were updated to a median follow-up of 6.8 yr. The meta-analysis was subcategorized into locoregional treatment with and without concomitant chemotherapy, induction/adju-vant chemotherapy, and laryngeal preservation with induction chemotherapy rather than definitive treatment for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal tumors. 

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