Prospective study of sensorineural hearing loss in patients of head and neck cancers after radiotherapy and chemotherapy

Abstract

Cancer has gained as an emerging major problem in India. 70% of the affected patients present with clinically advanced disease, either at the primary site or in the cervical lymph nodes.1 The cure of cancer, with preservation of structure, function and aesthetics, has become more evident with advances in modern radiation oncology, based on technologic gains in radiation physics and insights to radiation biology and pathophysiology.2 Surgery and radiation, used alone or in combination are the only curative treatments. Approximately, 8090% of patients with stage I or II head and neck cancer are cured with surgery or radiotherapy alone. A combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy is used in patients with inoperable or unresectable [stage III and IV] disease in an attempt to increase the cure rates over radiation alone. The advantages of the treatment combination are the preservation of cosmesis and function as compared to radical surgeries.