Abstract
Treatment of large squamous carcinomas of the head and neck often requires intensive or multidisciplinary treatment. Despite such aggressive measures, local recurrence is common. Possible reasons for such local failure are numerous. Hypoxic but viable tumor cells may be one means of resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. If surgical removal cannot eliminate these cells, tumor regrowth may occur. Modulation of the hypoxic fraction is one means of potentially altering resistance to radiotherapy. Misonidazole, a radiosensitizer, has been thought to increase free radical formation in hypoxic cells in vitro thus increasing the radiosensitivity. This observation is discussed with reference to advanced head and neck cancer.
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