Elective Mucosal Irradiation in Head-and-Neck Cancer of Unknown Primary

The optimal treatment of HNCUP remains controversial and lacks evidence from prospective randomized trials. The management of these patients relies primarily on surgery and radiotherapy. The role of radiotherapy in sterilizing putative mucosal sites remains controversial. The main debate concerns the extent of the radiation field. Although pan-mucosal irradiation from the nasopharynx to the hypopharynx and bilateral neck nodes reduces the risk of emergence of a mucosal primary or a nodal relapse, it has been associated with significant toxicity and long-term morbidity (mostly xerostomia and dysphagia). Most single institution retrospective studies have not shown any advantage for more extensive irradiation.Therefore, elective mucosal irradiation may might be appropriate only for these patients.