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Head and Neck Cancers • Radiation Oncology
How do you balance the need for wound healing and time to treatment initiation in head and neck cancer patients who require a second operation?
Multiple disease sites have studies showing time from surgery to post operation therapy impacts clinical outcomes. Is there any evidence to suggest that patients who require a second surgery (e.g., for margins in breast or flap failure in head and neck) "reset the clock?"
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution
Avoid situations where you need a second operation, do the second operation after RT if possible, or do the second operation and start RT within 4 to 6 weeks and accept a higher likelihood of recurrence.
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