Intra-arterial chemoradiation therapy for head and neck carcinomas: Consideration of indication by sub-location

Abstract

High dose intra-arterial cisplatin infusion and concurrent radiation therapy (RADPLAT) has been reported to achieve good response rates with high organ preservation in the treatment of head and neck cancer. Our current interest in advanced head and neck carcinoma treatment is how to preserve function and thus quality of life without compromising survival. With RADPLAT, we have treated over 300 patients with head and neck carcinomas and now recognize that there are sub-locations suitable for RADPLAT. We discuss the results of our treatment and the angioarchitecture of the feeding arteries in carcinomas by each sub-location. We propose that advanced maxillary carcinoma, laryngeal carcinoma and oropharyngeal anterior wall carcinoma, are good indications for RADPLAT.