Treatment of head and neck cancer patients undergoing hemodialysis

The number of hemodialysis (HD) patients is tending to increase, and HD patients can survive longer than before. For these reasons, we sometimes need to treat malignant tumors in HD patients, although such patients are still rare in the head and neck cancer category. We analyzed head and neck cancer patients undergoing HD, and classified the therapeutic methods of the patients into 3 groups. We examined 7 head and neck cancer patients undergoing HD at Kyushu Hospital and 10 reported cases of “Head & neck cancer patients with HD”(searches in PubMed and Japan Medical Abstracts Society). “Noninvasive surgery(e.g. partial resection)” appears to be an acceptable option for HD patients. Under careful observation, “Invasive surgery”(e.g. reconstructive surgery) might be a feasible therapy for HD patients. Regarding the therapeutic efficacy of “Radiation” for HD patients, control was poor and there were severe adverse effects.