[Modern approaches to the organization of oncological care for patients with tumours of upper respiratory tract].

Despite reports of successful treatment of oncological diseases of the upper respiratory tract, many patients with this pathology still apply for medical aid too late. Squamous cell carcinoma remains the predominant problem. Clinical symptoms of metastases are absent in 60% of the lethal cases with locally spreading tumours. The most common causes of death among these patients are obstruction of the upper air passages, invasion of tumour cells into the brain, local and systemic metastasis. It is concluded that the improvement of early diagnosis of malignant neoplasms of the upper respiratory tract and organization of specialized care for subjects with pre-tumor processes requires joint efforts of oncologists and otorhinolaryngologists. The achievement of this goal would enhance the effectiveness of the treatment of this pathology.