Current Status and Future Aspects of Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy and Immunotherapy in the Management of Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer

Abstract

The rate of loco-regional recurrence and secondary primary tumors is high in patients with head andneck cancer (HNC). Although surgery is very effective in the management of these patients, total resection is rarely possible due to anatomic and functional constraints. In patients not amenable to surgery,chemoradiotherapy plays a major role and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is the treatment ofchoice based on its advantage of high therapeutic ratio. Recent advances in immunotherapeutic agentsalso provide promising results in many tumor sites and may have advantages in the treatment of recurrent HNC. Concurrent use of these agents with SBRT is still being investigated.