Automatic Patient Modeling for Hyperthermia Treatment Planning of Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck (H&N) cancer is the term used to describe a wide range of malig- nant tumors originating in the upper airways and swallowing tracts. In 2012, this disease accounted for approximately 5% of all cancers worldwide, with 680,000 new cases diagnosed and 370,000 recorded deaths, resulting as the seventh most common cancer worldwide. The H&N region is often divided in subregions containing dfferent tumor sites, as depicted in Figure 1.1: the oral cavity, paranasal sinus and nasal cavity, salivary glands, nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx (bot- tom part of the throat) and larynx. Tumors in the eyes, brain and skin are generally not considered H&N cancer.