Challenges in recurrent head and neck squamous cell cancer treatment: systematic review and <i>meta</i>-analysis comparing efficacy and toxicity between post-operative and definitive IMRT-based reirradiation.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Treatment of patients with recurrent head and neck squamous cell cancer in a previously irradiated field remains challenging. We performed a meta-analysis, comparing the efficacy and safety of definitive and post-operative intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) based reirradiation.

Material and methods

MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, SCOPUS and PsycINFO were systematically searched. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the risk of bias. A meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model.

Results

10 eligible studies with a median follow up of 24.9 months (9.6-78.1) and a total of 958 patients were identified, two of which are prospective trials. 455 were patients treated with post-operative/ adjuvant I

SUBMITTER: Grajewski L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12630038 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature