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Response evaluation after chemoradiotherapy for advanced staged oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a nationwide survey in the Netherlands

  • Head and Neck
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Following failure of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for advanced staged oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC), residual tumor can often be treated successfully with salvage surgery, if detected early. Current clinical practice in the VU University Medical Center is to perform routine response evaluation, i.e., examination under general anesthesia (EUA), 12 weeks after treatment. However, in the Netherlands there is no consensus on response evaluation in patients with advanced oropharyngeal cancer. Questionnaire on current clinical practice concerning response evaluation after CRT for advanced OPSCC in all eight head and neck cancer centers of the Dutch Head and Neck Oncology Cooperative Group. The response rate was 100 %. Response evaluation was routinely performed with various methods in five institutions (62.5 %) and in one institute (12.5 %) only if clinical evaluation was difficult. Two centers (25 %) did not perform response evaluation. In case of suspicion of residual disease during follow-up, six centers (75 %) performed imaging prior to EUA and two centers (25 %) only if clinical evaluation was difficult. Diagnostic techniques used prior to EUA were MRI (87.5 %), diffusion-weighted MRI (37.5 %), 18F-FDG-PET-CT (75–87.5 %) and CT (37.5 %). This survey shows a substantial variation in the diagnostic policy concerning response evaluation after CRT for advanced OPSCC in the Netherlands. There is a need for guidelines for response evaluation in patients with advanced oropharyngeal cancer.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank prof. dr. M.W.M. van den Brekel, drs. A. Navran, dr. R.P. Takes, dr. G.B. Halmos, dr. L.A. van der Velden, drs. F. Smit, drs. W.W. Braunius, dr. C.A. Meeuwis, dr. K.W. Kross for completing and returning the questionnaire, as representatives of their respective head and neck cancer centers.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Charlotte S. Schouten, C. René Leemans & Remco de Bree

  2. Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Otto S. Hoekstra & Jonas A. Castelijns

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  1. Charlotte S. Schouten
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  2. Otto S. Hoekstra
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  3. C. René Leemans
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  4. Jonas A. Castelijns
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  5. Remco de Bree
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Correspondence to Remco de Bree.

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Schouten, C.S., Hoekstra, O.S., Leemans, C.R. et al. Response evaluation after chemoradiotherapy for advanced staged oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a nationwide survey in the Netherlands. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 272, 3507–3513 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-014-3389-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-014-3389-4

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