A medical team treatment for head and neck cancer with an emphasis on histological evaluation

A goal of treatment for head and neck cancer is cure and preserving appearances and functions, for which an appropriate treatment modality including surgery and chemoradiotherapy should be made. Therefore, it is very important to evaluate the tumor response of the chemoradiotherapy for cure of the disease and organ preservation. A histological evaluation by pathologists as well as a clinical evaluation by therapeutic radiologists, diagnostic radiologists, and otorhilnolaryngologists helps an accurate evaluation of the tumor response of chemoradiotherapy. A precise histological examination of the tissue specimen after a surgical resection leads to an appropriate choice of post-surgical treatment. These evaluations should be made not only by clinical reports but also through discussions in conferences, which help the appropriate treatment modalities to be chosen. Medical team treatment for head and neck cancer is necessary for improving survival and organ preservation rates. A medical team including pathologists in addition to otorhinolaryngologists and radiologists would be useful for the treatment of patients with head and neck cancers.