Dr. Mell on Individualizing Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer

Loren K. Mell, MD, assistant professor, Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, discusses individualizing treatments for patients with head and neck cancer.

Loren K. Mell, MD, assistant professor, Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, discusses individualizing treatments for patients with head and neck cancer.

Mell says that investigators are making efforts to individualize care within the context of evidence-based medicine. These are inherently in conflict with one another, he explains.

With the introduction of immunotherapy, there is a different paradigm for cancer treatment, as it offers some appealing options, says Mell. This is especially true for treating older patients whose immune functions are in decline. It is a topic that is being revisited, Mell explains, and research is ongoing.