Onkológia 6/2022

Post-treatment follow-up of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patient management does not end up with the completion of curative treatment. The care must continue with post-treatment follow-up. The aim of the follow-up includes evaluation of treatment response, identification and management of treatment toxicity and early detection of local and regional recurrence and second primary tumors. Authors discuss the frequency of follow-up visits, the range of clinical examination, and recommendations for imaging and laboratory examinations during the follow-up. Authors propose the official guideline of follow-up after the curative treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients endorsed by the Slovak Head and Neck Cancer Cooperative Group.

Keywords: head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, post-treatment follow-up