New scanning approach ‘could reduce need for head and neck cancer surgery’

A new scanning-led surveillance technique has shown potential for aiding the treatment of head and neck cancer and helping patients avoid unnecessary surgery.

Led by the Universities of Birmingham and Warwick, the study assessed how positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scans can be used to identify cancer cells still present after treatment of head and neck cancer with primary chemoradiotherapy.

Currently, all head and neck cancer patients have to undergo neck dissection surgery to identify whether any cancerous tissue remains. This three-hour operation poses considerable risks and requires patients to remain in hospital for at least a week.

However, the new research indicated that PET-CT scans can identify persistent cancer cases without the need for surgery. For the study, 564 patients were recruited, with only 19 percent of the image-guided surveillance group going on to receive neck dissection surgery, compared to 78 percent of the control group.

Professor Janet Dunn, from the Warwick Clinical Trials Unit, said: "The results show that the use of PET-CT imaging can prevent unnecessary operations and reduce associated surgical complications."