Thesis supervisor: Miklós Kásler
Location of studies (in Hungarian): PTE ÁOK Pécs, Szigeti u. 12. Abbreviation of location of studies: ÁOK
Description of the research topic:
Currently, chemoradiation is the standard non-surgical treatment of locally advanced head and neck squamous cell cancer. In Hungary, traditional treatment of these cancers was radical surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. The introduction of the non-surgical treatment of advanced head and neck cancers delayed approximately a decade compared to Western-Europe and the United States. There is still need for increasing the efficacy of radiotherapy by the use of more effective drugs and alternative fractionation schemes. The increase of the efficacy of chemoradiation is limited by the severe late side effects of radiochemotherapy. Proposed fields of research: Creation of a database of patients treated either by radiochemotherapy or primary non-surgical methods, and assess and compare the efficacy, safety and overall survival of both treatments. Development of new radiation fractionation techniques or combination of radiotherapy with new drugs, and compare them with the standard therapy in prospective clinical studies. Search for new biological markers of chemo- and radiosensitivity, and increased sensitivity of the normal tissues. Development of new methods of radiotherapy in order to decrease the severity of late side effects. Investigations of the effect of radiotherapy on the quality of life of head and neck cancer patients using internationally validated questionnaires.