Chemotherapy in Children with Head and Neck Cancers: Perspectives and Review of Current Therapies.

Cancers of the head and neck in children represent a heterogeneous group of malignancies requiring a variety of treatment modalities. In many instances of childhood head and neck cancers, chemotherapy will be required for treatment, often in conjunction with surgery and/or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy in children with head and neck cancers poses unique challenges in terms of immediate as well as long-term toxicities. This article focuses on the common chemotherapeutic agents, with a particular focus on early and late effects, used in the treatment of children with head and neck cancers.