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REVIEW article
Front. Oncol.
Sec. Head and Neck Cancer
Volume 15 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1552337
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The treatment of locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC) has traditionally relied on a multimodal approach, combining surgery, radiation therapy (RT), and chemotherapy. While chemotherapy plays a critical role in improving cure rates and functional outcomes, its substantial toxicity remains a major concern, particularly in older patients. These challenges are especially relevant for those who are unfit for chemotherapy or decline conventional concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), highlighting the need for alternative therapeutic options.Many patients are at high risk for severe side effects, often preventing them from completing the full chemotherapy regimen. This review explores alternative strategies to definitive CCRT of carcinomas of the larynx, hypopharynx and oropharynx, aiming to optimize treatment outcomes while minimizing toxicity. We discuss altered fractionation strategies as a promising alternative to conventional RT, offering a balance between treatment efficacy and quality of life. Additionally, we examine emerging approaches, including the combining of targeted therapies, immunotherapy, hyperthermia, photodynamic therapy and nanoparticle-based treatments with RT, which provide alternative or complementary options to traditional therapies in the management of LA-HNSCC.
Keywords: head and neck cancer, Concurrent chemoradiation, altered fractionation, Immunotherapy, targeted therapy, hyperthermia, nanoparticle
Received: 27 Dec 2024; Accepted: 02 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Abutaha, Abu Hejleh, ElHaddad, Al-Ibraheem, Abbasi, Sumaida, Bushehri, Mostafa, Youssef, Alotain, Abu-Gheida, Aldehaim, Alghamdi, Shelan, Al Dohan, Al-Hussaini, Pervez, Temraz, Alrashidi, El-Sheshtawy, Al-Mandhari, Ghatasheh, Hosni and Mohamad. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Issa Mohamad, Department of Radiation Oncology, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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