Competing Morbidities In Advanced Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy: A Strong Implication Of A Multidisciplinary Team Approach.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is the standard approach for the treatment of locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Despite its undisputed advantages, CCRT is associated with acute and late toxicities, leading to unfavorable implications (eg, unplanned interruptions and noncancer-related mortality). The former prolongs the overall treatment time leading to a detrimental effect on tumor control.

Radiotherapy in advanced glottic laryngeal carcinoma in a patient with Wegener's granulomatosis: how much radiation dose is needed?

Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by necrotizing granulomas involving mainly the upper-lower respiratory and renal tracts, albeit a potentially life-threatening involvement of other body parts is not rare. Furthermore, there are several reports accounting for an increased risk of solid malignancies due to the autoimmune disease per se, or the immunosuppressive therapies. Among treatments, radiotherapy could be a therapeutic option as proven by its use in typical WG lesions such as solitary granulomas or subglottic stenosis, successfully treated with low radiation dose.

Lower cranial nerve palsy during radiotherapy for glottic cancer in a patient with Wegener's granulomatosis: An interesting case report.

The aim of the present study was to report an unusual case of multiple lower cranial nerve palsies in a patient with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) during radiotherapy for glottic cancer. WG is an autoimmune disease characterized by necrotizing granulomas mainly in the upper and lower respiratory tract or kidneys; however, the involvement of cranial nerves is not uncommon. Prior to the use of cyclophosphamide (CYC) the 1-year mortality rate was ~82%; the introduction of rituximab (RTX) has revolutionized the course of the WG, with remission rates comparable to those of CYC and superior effectiveness in relapsing patients.