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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Med Paediatr Oncol 2015; 36(03): 148-153
DOI: 10.4103/0971-5851.166716
REVIEW ARTICLE

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in oral cancers: Selecting the right patients

S Vishak
Department of Head and Neck Oncology, Mazumdar-Shaw Cancer Center, Narayana Health City, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
,
Bharath Rangarajan
Department of Medical Oncology, Kovai Medical Center and Hospital, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
,
Vikram D. Kekatpure
Department of Head and Neck Oncology, Mazumdar-Shaw Cancer Center, Narayana Health City, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
› Author Affiliations Financial support and sponsorship Nil.
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Abstract

The standard of care treatment for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) at present, consist of surgical resection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy as indicated. Despite recent advances the overall prognosis remains guarded. Role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy is being explored with premise of reducing extent of surgical resection, improving loco-regional control and decreasing distant metastasis, thereby improving treatment outcomes by decreasing mortality and morbidity. However, indications of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in oral cancers are not clearly defined. Majority of studies have failed to demonstrate a significant benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in terms of loco regional control and overall survival in resectable OSCC. In a select subset of patients with locally very advanced and unresectable OSCC, neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been shown to cause tumor shrinkage and improve resectability. These hypothesis generating findings of reduction in distant metastasis, improved resectability and functional outcome, however need further validation. In summary, the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for OSCC remains investigational and has a limited role outside clinical trial.

Keywords

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy - oral squamous cell carcinoma - advanced oral cancers - unresectable oral cancers


Publication History

Article published online:
12 July 2021

© 2015. Indian Society of Medical and Paediatric Oncology. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.)

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