Chemotherapy In Head And Neck

The tratment for advanced cancer of head and neck,has long been :a. major problem for otorhinolaryngologistsIts low cure rate utilizing surgery or radiation assLngle modalities has never been satisfactory. Thenalong came the use of so called combined therapy (comb-ined surgery and rauiotherapy ) which is also not statis-factory enough in view of the cure rate • In recent yearsa third modality has envolved, namely chemotherapy fortreatment of head and neck cancer •Cancer trea~nent reserch began in earnest-·at theturn of the century with three major pieces of work thefirst was the development of the principles of cancersurgery, second discovered of X-rays, third is the usingof rodent models •Most chemotherapeutic agents appear ~o enter theirmajor antitumour and toxic effects by inhibiting replica-tion of cells that undergo D.N.A. synthesis at sometimesduring their life cycle’.Chemotherapeutic agents commonly used are (Metho-trexate Bleomycin, Cis-platinum, Cyclophosphamide ,Adriamycin and 5-Flurouracil, Vin b Laa tin e, Mechlore th-amine, Procarbazine and Hydroxyurea). Factors influencing