Review article
Carcinoma of the hypopharynx

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Clinical behavior

The hypopharynx is described as the region of the pharynx that begins at the level of the hyoid bone and extends to the inferior border of the cricoid cartilage. Within the hypopharynx are three anatomic subsites: the paired pyriform sinuses, the postcricoid area, and the posterior hypopharyngeal wall. The pyriform sinus is the most commonly involved site, representing more than 60% of all cases, and the postcricoid region is least commonly involved, accounting for fewer than 5% of cases [2].

Treatment

Currently, several treatment options exist for patients who have hypopharyngeal cancer. Surgery combined with radiation therapy is the standard treatment for most patients who have hypopharyngeal carcinoma. Radiation therapy alone also may be used and seems to be most useful for small (T1 or T2) lesions. Hyperfractionated radiation therapy seems to confer some advantages over conventional radiation therapy in improved locoregional control. Finally, organ preservation therapy using

Summary

Despite advances in surgical and nonsurgical treatment, overall survival rates for patients who have hypopharyngeal carcinoma have not improved, and this disease still has a poor prognosis. The best results are obtained with multimodality therapy, but at best, two thirds of patients are palliated rather than cured of disease. Radical surgery with postoperative radiation therapy remains the standard of care. Organ preservation strategies have not been as successful in hypopharyngeal cancer as

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