Introduction: Multi-modality treatment concepts involving preoperative radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and subsequent radical resection are used much less frequently than postoperative treatment for oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas. In some centres, however, the preoperative approach has been established for several years.
Material: The present review is a compilation of the existing evidence on this subject.
Methods: In a literature-based meta-analysis, the survival data of 1927 patients from 32 eligible publications were analysed.
Results: The calculated survival rates of documented patients show remarkably good results with preoperative CRT and radical surgery. However, the findings of this analysis are based on data with a large proportion of studies using consecutive patient series.
Conclusion: Hard evidence providing sufficient data from prospective randomised studies is as yet missing for preoperative CRT. Prospective randomised studies are mandatory in this area.