Synchronous chemoradiation for squamous carcinomas

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Abstract
For many decades the primary treatment for common cancers has mostly been radical surgical resection (for example, for cancers of the large bowel, lung (non-small cell), kidney) or radical radiotherapy for inoperable cases or when tissue preservation is desirable and the cancer sufficiently radiosensitive (for example, cancers of the head and neck, notably larynx). Surgery and radical radiotherapy are sometimes competitors, but in other cancers (such as breast cancer) limited surgical intervention and radiotherapy used conjointly can offer the best compromise between the twin requirements of excellent local control with tissue preservation and near perfect cosmesis. Over the past few years a quiet revolution has been taking place, dramatically altering the treatment options in a surprisingly large proportion of patients with solid tumours. For patients with a squamous primary cancer at most of the common sites it is increasingly clear that traditional treatment with surgical excision, radiation therapy—or both—no longer offers the best possible choice. Giving chemotherapy in the adjuvant setting—shortly after completion of primary surgery or radiation therapy—has often been regarded as the best possible use of this valuable but demanding …

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