Clinical impact of a multi-center head and neck cancer board

Decision-making for advanced head and neck cancers has become increasingly difficult because the treatment modality has become complicated. It has been proven that a multidisciplinary head and neck tumor board contributes to optimum clinical results. A cancer board is a multi-center and multidisciplinary board intended to make better decisions on the treatment of head and neck cancer patients. The Head and Neck Unit of the Cancer Institute at Kyoto University has held several cancer boards since 2009. The current study examined the clinical impact of the board for 26 cases with advanced or recurrent head and neck cancers. The board encompassed multiple centers including university hospitals and cancer centers. The results show that diagnosis and treatment were changed in 1 and 5 cases, respectively. A cancer board may contribute to appropriate decision-making for the treatment of difficult cases of head and neck cancer.