ABSTRACT
The field of head and neck surgery has undergone remarkable changes over the last 20 years. There have been refinements in surgical approaches to malignant cervical adenopathy, laryngeal cancer and skull-base malignancy. With the advent and popularization of free tissue transfer, head and neck reconstruction has been revolutionized. Along with progress in surgical techniques have come advances in imaging, radiotherapy and molecular biology. Despite this progress, cancer recurrence and mortality rates for many sites in the head and neck remain unchanged. The head and neck continues to be a challenging area to reconstruct with functional outcomes remaining poor in many situations. The future remains full of challenge and promise for both the patients and professionals struggling with cancer of the head and neck.
