Metastasis of oral cancer to the parotid node

Background

The parotid node is an uncommon site of metastasis in head and neck cancer. This study was intended to clarify the incidence and indicators of oral cancer metastases to the parotid node.

Patients and methods

We reviewed the records of 253 patients with oral carcinomas who had undergone a total of 289 neck dissections between April 2001 and December 2006. The histologic diagnoses of the primary tumors were squamous cell carcinoma in 239 patients, mucoepidermoid carcinoma in 5, adenoid cystic carcinoma in 4, and miscellaneous others in 5. In all neck dissections, the tail of the parotid gland below the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve was resected. The cervical and parotid lymph nodes were isolated from the surgical specimens. One section through the maximum cross-sectional area of each node was examined histologically.

Results

From 183 of the 289 neck specimens, we collected 539 parotid nodes: 222 extraglandular and 317 intraglandular. Of the 253 patients, 10 (4.0%) had 19 parotid node metastases, of which 4 were extraglandular and 15 intraglandular. Parotid node involvement occurred in 2.5% of oral squamous cell carcinoma cases. For the other cancers, there were too few cases to determine a meaningful frequency. In terms of indicators, the likelihood of metastasis to the parotid nodes increased with the number of cancer-positive cervical nodes.

Conclusions

Metastasis to the parotid nodes should be considered in patients with oral cancer. Resection of the tail of the parotid gland is warranted during the neck dissection.     

Labial salivary gland tumors

A study was conducted on labial salivary gland tumors from four oral pathology laboratories. Of the 103 identified tumors, 87 (84.5%) were from the upper lip, whereas 16 (15.5%) were from the lower lip. Of the 87 upper lip tumors, 80 (92.0%) were benign. Forty-three of these were monomorphic adenomas and 37 were pleomorphic adenomas. Seven malignant tumors of the upper lip were as follows: four adenoid cystic carcinomas, two acinic cell carcinomas, and one adenocarcinoma. Of the 16 lower lip tumors, 15 (93.8%) were malignant. Thirteen of these were mucoepidermoid carcinomas and two were acinic cell carcinomas. The only benign lower lip tumor was an intraductal papilloma. These results confirm the findings of previous investigations, showing that minor salivary gland tumors are much more common in the upper lip than the lower lip, but that lower lip tumors are more likely to be malignant.     

分化型甲状腺癌手术方式选择及复发因素探讨

目的探讨分化型甲状腺癌外科手术的方式及影响其复发的因素。方法回顾性分析我院行手术治疗的149例分化型甲状腺癌,研究其治疗方法并进行随访,根据不同病理类型、临床分期及手术方式分组,计算复发率及生存率,观察影响预后的因素。结果行患侧腺叶切除加峡部切除29例,患侧腺叶切除加峡部切除加颈清扫40例,患侧腺叶、峡部加对侧腺叶次全切除16例,患侧腺叶、峡部加对侧腺叶次全切除加颈部淋巴结清扫46例,甲状腺全切加颈清扫13例,姑息性切除5例。1年、3年、5年和10年生存率分别为100%、95.9%、92.6%和87.2%。获得随访的98例中,除6例姑息性切除病例外,其余92例中癌肿复发16例(17.4%),其中颈淋巴结复发12例,甲状腺复发4例,合并远处转移2例。统计学分析显示,癌肿复发与性别、手术方式无相关性(P>0.05),但与年龄、临床分期、辅助治疗密切相关(P<0.05)。结论分化型甲状腺癌手术应根据病理类型、临床分期行患侧叶、峡部切除加对侧叶次全切,或全甲状腺切除术。有颈淋巴结转移者应行颈清扫术。其预后与年龄、临床分期、术后是否放疗、是否长期服用甲状腺素密切相关。     

Results of tracheobronchoplasty for bronchogenic carcinoma

Tracheobronchial reconstruction is a safe and effective procedure for patients with the neoplasms of low grade malignancy and bronchogenic carcinoma. We present herein a series of 18 cases that had tracheobronchial reconstruction, and discuss a postoperative complication and prognosis. From 1981 to 1997, 18 patients (2.8%) of 647 cases had tracheobronchial reconstruction with mediastinal lymph node dissection. The average age of the 13 males and 5 females, was 61 (range 51-72) years. We analyzed clinical features, postoperative complication and prognosis. Seventeen patients underwent sleeve lobectomy and one lobectomy with carinal reconstruction (Barkley's montage type). There were 13 squamous cell carcinomas, and one each of adenocarcinoma, typical carcinoid, adenoid cystic carcinoma, mucoepidermoid carcinoma and undifferentiated carcinoma. Stage was IA in 3, stage IB in 6, stage IIB in 3, stage IIIA in 5, and stage IIIB in 1 patient. Curative resection was achieved in 11 patients and non-curative resection in 7 patient who had radiotherapy. Six patients (33.3%) had postoperative complications. Five-year survival and mean survival time were 92.3% and 126 months, respectively. Tracheoplasty group had significantly better prognosis than pneumonectomy group or lobectomy group (p<0.01). This study suggests that tracheobronchoplasty is a more useful procedure than pneumonectomy for lung cancer.     

Squamous cell carcinomas of the soft palate treated with radiation therapy alone or followed by planned neck dissection

PURPOSE: The present study presents the experience at the University of Florida with treatment of unselected patients with carcinomas of the soft palate with radiation therapy (RT) alone or followed by planned neck dissection. METHODS AND MATERIALS: One hundred seven patients treated with curative intent with RT alone or followed by neck dissection from 1965 to 1996 were included in the study. All patients had follow-up for at least 2 years. No patients were lost to follow-up. RESULTS: Local control rates at 5 years were 86% for T1, 91% for T2, 67% for T3, and 36% for T4 carcinomas. T-stage and overall treatment time significantly affected local control in multivariate analysis. Nodal control rates at 5 years were 86% for NO, 76% for N1, 61% for N2, and 67% for N3 carcinomas. Overall treatment time and planned neck dissection significantly affected nodal control in multivariate analysis. Ultimate local-regional control rates at 5 years were 90% for Stage I, 92% for Stage II, 84% for Stage III, and 60% for Stage IV disease. Overall treatment time and planned neck dissection significantly affected ultimate local-regional control in multivariate analysis. The overall survival rate at 5 years was 42% for all patients. Overall stage, overall treatment time, and planned neck dissection significantly affected overall survival in multivariate analysis. The cause-specific survival rate at 5 years was 70% for all patients. Overall treatment time and planned neck dissection significantly affected cause-specific survival in multivariate analysis. Three patients sustained severe postoperative complications and 3 patients sustained severe late complications. Sixteen patients had synchronous and 14 patients had metachronous carcinomas of the head and neck mucosal sites. CONCLUSION: For limited carcinomas of the soft palate, RT (alone or followed by planned neck dissection) results in relatively high local-regional control and survival rates. For advanced carcinomas of the soft palate, local-regional control and survival rates are relatively low and local-regional recurrence rates are substantial. Advanced carcinomas of the soft palate may be better treated with RT and concomitant chemotherapy.     

“三切口”切除食管癌胃经胸骨后代食管16例

〔目的］评估食管中段癌经右胸、颈、上腹三切口切除后胃经胸骨后隧道与颈部残留食管吻合术的实用价值。（方法）将病变长度大于5cm的食管中段癌16例，右侧进胸将购段食管及区域淋巴结切除后，进腹游离胃并清除胃周淋巴结，将胃经胸骨后隧道上提至颈部与颈段残留食管吻合，然后再清扫下颈部淋巴结。（结果）16例中，10例行根治性切除，其余6例为姑息性切除；吻合口瘘发生率为37.5％，但均经恰当的引流后治愈；无心肺并发症发生。（结论）“三切口”术式切除食管中段癌符合肿瘤外科的治疗原则，而食管中段癌切除后胸胃经胸骨后上提至颈部与颈段残留食管吻合是可行的，对中晚期食管中段癌估计术后需辅助性放疗的病例可选择此术式。     

Ivor Lewis食管切除术二野淋巴清扫治疗73例胸下段食管鳞癌的临床疗效

背景与目的:食管切除局部区域淋巴清扫是胸下段食管癌的主要治疗手段.本研究旨在评价Ivor Lewis食管切除术二野淋巴清扫治疗胸下段食管癌的临床效果.方法:选择1998年1月至2001年12月73例行Ivor Lewis食管切除术二野淋巴清扫的胸下段食管鳞癌病例,观察清扫的淋巴结数目、术后并发症发生率、死亡率等指标,Kaplan-Meier法进行生存分析.结果:术后并发症发生率15.1%,死亡率2.7%.淋巴结转移率71.2%,上纵隔淋巴转移率17.8%.Ⅰ期5例,Ⅱ期34例,Ⅲ期32例,Ⅳ期2例.总的5年生存率为23.3%.N0与M病例5年生存率分别为38.1%与17.3%(P＜0.01).ⅡA、ⅡB、Ⅲ期病例的5年生存率分别是31.2%、27.8%、12.5%(P＜0.01).结论:Ivor Lewis食管切除术二野淋巴清扫治疗胸下段食管鳞癌是一项安全的手术,可增加完整切除(肉眼及镜下均无癌残留)机会.     

Postoperative irradiation of minor salivary gland malignancies of the head and neck.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To review the Stanford experience with postoperative radiotherapy for minor salivary gland carcinomas of the head and neck. (2) To identify patterns of failure and prognostic factors for these tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-four patients with localized tumors were treated with curative intent at Stanford University between 1966 and 1995. The 1992 AJCC staging for squamous cell carcinomas was used to retrospectively stage these patients. Thirteen percent had stage I, 22% stage II, 26% stage III, and 39% stage IV neoplasms. Thirty-two patients (59%) had adenoid cystic carcinoma, 15 (28%) had adenocarcinoma, and seven (13%) had mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Thirty (55%) had positive surgical margins and seven (13%) had cervical lymph node involvement at diagnosis. The median follow-up for alive patients was 7.8 years (range: 25 months-28.9 years). RESULTS: The 5- and 10-year actuarial local control rates were 91 and 88%, respectively. Advanced T-stage (T3-4), involved surgical margins, adenocarcinoma histology, and sinonasal and oropharyngeal primaries were associated with poorer local control. The 5- and 10-year actuarial freedom from distant metastasis were 86 and 81%, respectively. Advanced T-stage (T3-4), lymph node involvement at diagnosis, adenoid cystic and high-grade mucoepidermoid histology were associated with a higher risk of distant metastases. The 10-year cause-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) were 81 % and 63%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, prognostic factors affecting survival were T-stage (favoring T1-2), and N-stage (favoring NO). When T- and N-stage were combined to form the AJCC stage, the latter became the most significant factor for survival. The 10-year OS was 86% for stage I-II vs. 52% for stage III-IV tumors. Late treatment-related toxicity was low (3/54); most complications were mild and no cranial nerve damage was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical resection and carefully planned post-operative radiation therapy for minor salivary gland tumors is well tolerated and effective with high local control rates. AJCC stage was the most significant predictor for survival and should be used for staging minor salivary gland carcinomas.     

Occult cervical metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma of tongue among CN0 patients and its treatment

Objective： To explore the treatment of clinically negative neck （CN0） patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Methods： 165 CN0 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue from 1985 to 2002 were investigated retrospectively. Parts of the patients staged at T1, T2 and T3 underwent resection of primary lesion followed by neck observation, and other patients staged above T2 or at T1 but without follow-up were treated with elective neck dissection （END）. All patients were followed up for more than 3 y or until their death. Results： Lymphatic metastasis was identified histologically after operation in 33 of 120 patients treated with END, and 9 of 45 patients treated with resection of primary lesion alone. The overall rate of occult lymphatic metastasis was 25.45%, which increased with the elevating of clinical T stage. The overall rate of neck uncontrolled death was 20.00% for observation group and 5.00% for END group, and significant difference was found between them （P〈0.05）. For T~ patients in the two groups, the rate of neck uncontrolled death was 7.71% and 4.00% respectively, and no significance was found between them （P〉0.05）. When stage T2 and T3 were considered as middle stage together, significant difference （P〈0.05） could be obtained between observation （70.00%） and END group （0%）. Conclusion： The occult metastasis rate of squamous cell carcinoma of tongue increases with the elevating of clinical stage, and elective neck dissection could be considered for NO patients staged over T2 to improve neck control and survival rate; and regional resection alone of primary lesion could be considered for T1N0 patients to improve quality of life if closely followed up is conducted.     

手术切除联合辅助放化疗对腮腺黏液表皮样癌的疗效及预后影响因素

目的：探讨手术切除联合辅助放化疗对腮腺黏液表皮样癌的疗效及患者预后影响因素。方法选择80例腮腺黏液表皮样癌患者,按照治疗方案分为单纯手术组30例和术后联合放化疗组50例,对患者进行为期5年随访,以患者性别、年龄、病程、TMN分期、病理分型、手术类型、治疗方案、淋巴结远端转移等资料作为观察指标,分析影响患者预后的因素。结果术后联合放化疗组患者5年生存率为84.0%,高于单纯手术组5年生存率为63.3%（χ2=4.422,P=0.035）;生存分析显示术后联合放化疗组中位生存期为90.6个月高于单纯手术组的69.8个月,差异有统计学意义（χ2=12.039,P=0.001）。单因素分析显示年龄﹥60岁、T3～T4分级、低分化程度、单纯手术切除、合并淋巴结远端转移患者5年生存率降低（P﹤0.05）;多因素分析显示病理分型、治疗方案、淋巴结远端转移是影响患者预后的独立危险因素。结论术后辅助放化疗能够提高腮腺黏液表皮样癌患者的5年生存率,病理分型、治疗方案、淋巴结远端转移是影响患者预后的独立危险因素。     

Does node location affect the incidence of distant metastases in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma?

An analysis of 455 patients with head and neck carcinomas and clinically positive neck nodes who were treated with radiation therapy alone to their primary tumors (with or without a neck dissection) was conducted to determine the relative role of several prognostic factors in the subsequent development of distant metastases (DM). The factors analyzed were N stage, node location (upper neck only vs. lower with or without upper neck), T stage, primary site (oral cavity, oropharynx, nasopharynx, hypopharynx, supraglottic larynx), modified AJCC stage, and neck treatment. All patients were treated between 1964 and 1985 and had a minimum follow-up of 2 years. The N stage and node location were the most significant prognostic factors in the subsequent development of distant metastases. The incidence of distant metastases increased with increasing neck stage (N1, 11%; N2, 18%; N3, 27%), and in four of five neck stages (N2B being the exception), the incidence of distant metastases was greater for those patients with metastatic adenopathy in the lower neck. The incidence of distant metastases by modified AJCC stage was 12/111 (11%) for Stage III, 34/146 (23%) for Stage IVA, and 41/198 (19%) for Stage IVB. The primary site and T stage had little influence on the subsequent development of distant metastases. A multivariate analysis of the clinical factors confirmed the importance of neck stage and node location in estimating the probability of distant metastases. Control of disease above the clavicles and the addition of a neck dissection also significantly affected the chance of developing distant metastases.     

Synchronous and metachronous squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck mucosal sites.

PURPOSE: The present study presents the experience at the University of Florida with synchronous and metachronous squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck mucosal sites. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study included 1,112 patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the oropharynx, hypopharynx, and supraglottic larynx treated with radiation therapy with curative intent from 1964 to 1997. All patients had follow-up for at least 2 years. No patients were lost to follow-up. RESULTS: The overall survival rate was 45% and the disease-specific survival rate was 67% at 5 years after initial diagnosis of carcinoma of the head and neck mucosal sites. Seventy-seven patients (7%) presented with synchronous carcinomas of the head and neck mucosal sites and 103 patients (9%) developed metachronous carcinomas of the head and neck mucosal sites at 0.6 to 21.7 years (median, 3.6 years). The overall survival rate was 31%, and the disease-specific survival rate was 50% at 5 years after metachronous carcinomas of the head and neck mucosal sites. Seven patients (1%) developed metachronous carcinomas of the thoracic esophagus at 1 to 11.1 years (median, 2.8 years), 15 patients (1%) presented with synchronous carcinomas of the lung, and 83 patients (7%) developed metachronous carcinomas of the lung at 0.6 to 17.6 years (median, 3.5 years). CONCLUSION: Development of synchronous and metachronous squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck mucosal sites are in part responsible for failure to improve overall survival rates for patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck mucosal sites, justifying rigorous follow-up and studies on chemoprevention.     

甲状腺癌纵隔淋巴结转移的外科处理

目的评价甲状腺癌上纵隔淋巴清扫的意义。方法回顾性分析1984年至1998年期间,我科收治的79例甲状腺癌上纵隔淋巴清扫患者的临床资料。58例（73．4％）为乳头状甲状腺癌,14例（17．7％）为甲状腺髓样癌,7例（8．9％）为滤泡状甲状腺癌。随诊终止日期为2003年12月。结果经颈上纵隔淋巴清扫62例,胸骨部分劈开上纵隔淋巴清扫10例,全胸骨劈开上纵隔淋巴清扫7例。79例中,3例患者仅行上纵隔清扫,未做颈清扫;76例患者中完成93个颈清扫,47例发生气管旁淋巴结转移。总的5年和10年累积生存率分别为64．6％和63．1％。10例发生上纵隔淋巴结复发,9例死于上纵隔病变,11例发生术后并发症。结论在甲状腺癌上纵隔淋巴结转移的患者中,乳头状甲状腺癌最常见。上纵隔淋巴清扫安全有效,可以改善患者的生活质量,延长患者的生存时间。     

对Ⅲ期低位直肠癌行择区扩大淋巴结清扫的临床意义

背景与目的：目前对于Ⅲ期低位直肠癌的淋巴结清扫范围存在争议：日本学者多主张行择区扩大清扫双侧髂总、髂内、髂外和闭孔淋巴结脂肪组织;欧美学者则多主张行全直肠系膜切除术,辅以新辅助治疗。本研究旨在探讨对Ⅲ期低位直肠癌行择区扩大淋巴结清扫的临床意义。方法：对31例Ⅲ期低位直肠癌的病例(术前影像学分期,术后经病理证实)行择区扩大淋巴结清扫,即顺序清扫双侧髂总、髂内、髂外和闭孔淋巴结脂肪组织,尽量保留盆腔自主神经,除非神经受到肿瘤浸润,并与35例行传统根治术的低位直肠癌的病例进行比较。结果：行择区扩大淋巴结清扫组内有5例侧方淋巴结阳性(低分化腺癌4例、黏液细胞癌1例,较高、中分化腺癌有明显差异)。行择区扩大淋巴结清扫组在性功能障碍、排尿困难发生率及手术时间上与行传统根治术组差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05),行择区扩大淋巴结清扫组在吻合口瘘和手术失血量上与行传统根治术组差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05),但择区扩大淋巴结清扫组在盆腔复发率及5年生存率上优于传统根治术组。结论：对Ⅲ期低位直肠癌行择区扩大淋巴结清扫对降低盆腔复发、提高生存率有临床意义。     

Pathological and clinical analysis of 102 cases of lip carcinoma

102 cases (103 tumors) of lip carcinoma treated by surgery are analyzed. There were 37 (35.9%) verrucous carcinoma and 66 (64.1%) squamous cell carcinoma which included grade I 29 cases, grade II 21, grade III 14 and grade IV 2. Of the 66 squamous cell carcinomas, six lesions co-existing with verrucous carcinoma were derived from the latter. This fact demonstrated that anaplastic transformation of verrucous carcinoma could occur in patients without radiotherapy. This study suggests that the enlarged neck lymph nodes need not be dissected prophylactically for patients with squamous cell carcinoma grade I and grade II, and with verrucous carcinoma. The management of the cervical nodes still suffices if they enlarge after the primary lesion has been removed. But radical dissection of neck lymph nodes should be performed promptly for patients with squamous cell carcinoma grade III and grade IV.     

上颌窦癌74例的治疗与影响预后的因素

目的：研究上颌窦癌74例的治疗与影响预后的因素。方法：1995年1月--1995年12月本院治疗74例上颌窦癌,男、女之比1.6:1,中位年龄55岁（25-76岁）,病理：鳞癌55例,腺癌8例,未分化癌等11例。T24例、T332例、T438例按AJCC分期,确诊时20例有颈部淋巴结转移,其中15例为同侧上颈部。全组原发灶单纯放疗43例,放疗 手术31例,放疗肿瘤剂量41天50Gy/28次--55天78Gy/39次。用Kaplan-Meier计算生存率、局控率、转移率,用Log-Rank进行结果之间的比较,用Gox比较风险模型行多因素分析。结果：全组五年生存率33.9%,原发灶五年失控率56.2%,颈部淋巴结五年失败率20.0%,五年远处转移率19.7%。单纯放疗组、放疗 手术组五年生存率分别为16.4%、56.1%(P=0.0003）,54例N0病例中7例在治疗中（后）出现颈部淋巴结转移,5例为同侧上颈部。N（ ）组、N（-）组的五年生存率分别为20%和41.9%(P=0.0076）。结论：综合治疗有益于上颌窦癌疗效的提高。上颌窦癌治疗失败的原因主要是原发灶,而颈部淋巴结转移多在同侧上颈部,一旦出现则预后较差。     

Lip-splitting in transmandibular resections: is it really necessary?

Mandibular resection approach (Commando or Composite resection) is one of the fundamental techniques for oral and oropharyngeal large tumour resection. We reviewed the charts of patients who underwent a transmandibular resection for an oral and/or oropharyngeal cancer between 1980 and 2002. Of 700 patients who underwent a mandibular resection for cancer, 332 had been operated without lower lip splitting. A mono or bilateral en-block neck dissection was always performed, except in cases of relapses after a prior surgical treatment with neck dissection. We repaired 307 patients with flaps (pedicled or free flaps, with or without bone). Unsplitting of the lip never complicated resection and reconstruction. Furthermore the procedure was time sparing, as we avoided haemostasis and suture of the lip. The cosmetic results were better than those obtained by traditional technique. We used a non-lip-splitting technique also for pull-through, marginal mandibulectomy and, sometimes, for mandibular-swing approaches. In the latter case, the technique has some advantages and disadvantages and must be applied according to circumstances. We can conclude that lip-splitting in transmandibular resection for oral and oropharyngeal tumours is not necessary.     

唇癌及口腔癌调强放疗失败的临床研究

目的：探讨唇部及口腔鳞状细胞癌调强放疗失败的原因。方法：55例唇部及口腔鳞状细胞癌患者接受调强放疗，其中49例为术后放疗，5例为根治性放疗，1例为新辅助放疗。通过复发时CT图像与治疗计划用CT图像的融合或对比来判断复发方式。结果：9例患者出现局部区域复发：4例仅有局部复发，2例仅有区域复发，3例局部＋区域复发。5例患者出现远处转移，其中3例合并局部区域复发。2年总生存率、疾病特异性生存率、局部无复发生存率、局部区域无复发生存率、以及远处无转移生存率分别为68％、74％、85％、82％和89％。从治疗结束到局部区域复发的中位时间为4．1个月。除1例失败出现在照射野外的对侧下颈部外，其余的失败都出现在接受高量放疗的部位。局部区域控制与淋巴结包膜外侵显著相关。结论：调强放疗是唇部及口腔鳞状细胞癌的有效治疗方式。绝大多数治疗失败的方式为“照射野内”复发，建议术后同步化放疗用于有淋巴结包膜外侵的唇癌及口腔癌患者。     

Palliative and curative surgical therapy of malignant stenoses of the esophagus and cardia

Between January 1967 and July 1986, 171 patients with malignant stenosis of the esophagus and cardia were subjected to curative or palliative surgical treatment. Specifically, there were 84 primary esophageal carcinomas, 5 cases of malignant esophageal stenosis caused by an extra-esophageal malignant tumor (inter alia bronchial carcinoma), and 82 primary carcinomas of the cardia. The average age of the patients as a whole was 63.7 years, and the sex ratio (male:female) was 4.0:1. In 18 esophageal carcinoma patients and 21 patients with carcinoma of the cardia curative resection was possible, but in 132 patients merely palliative surgery was performed, most frequently esophageal intubation and gastrostomy. The specific operations with a curative objective performed upon the esophageal carcinoma patients were abdominothoracic esophageal resection with upward displacement of the stomach (n = 16) or interposition of a colonic segment (n = 2), whereas in the patients with carcinoma of the cardia, proximal resection was performed in 13 cases, either subtotally or as a cardiofundectomy, and total gastrectomy in 8 cases. For the subsequent reconstruction of the passage the interposition of a jejunal segment was most frequently used. The clinical mortality for the curative resections was 33% for the 18 esophageal carcinoma patients and 9.5% for the 20 patients with carcinoma of the cardia. The long-term survival rates are depressing: of the patients who underwent curative resection 47.6% were still alive after one year, 28.6% after 2 years and 14.3% after 5 years. Of the patients treated only palliatively on account of an already advanced stage of the tumor, 91.5% died within the first year; only 4.9% of patients from this group were still alive after 2 years.     

Exclusive brachytherapy for T1 and T2 squamous cell carcinomas of the velotonsillar area: results in 44 patients

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of interstitial brachytherapy as an exclusive radiotherapy modality for primary T1-T2 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the velotonsillar area. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 1992 and 2000, 44 patients with T1-T2 SCC of the tonsil (n = 36) and soft palate (n = 8) were treated to the primary with brachytherapy alone (37 patients) or after a limited resection (7 patients). Eight patients had prior external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for previous head-and-neck carcinoma. Nineteen patients had initial neck dissection. The mean brachytherapy dose was 58.7 Gy, and the mean reference dose rate and Ir-192 linear activity were 58.2 cGy/h and 1.51 mCi/cm respectively. RESULTS: With a 75-month median follow-up, 1 patient recurred locally. Isolated nodal relapses occurred in 4 patients, none of whom had initial neck dissection, and salvage therapy was successful in 2. Five-year overall and progression-free survival rates were 76% and 68%, respectively. Full-course radiation therapy was possible in 7 of 12 patients who developed a second primary head-and-neck carcinoma. Late toxicity was limited to 6 mild soft-tissue necroses, and was significantly associated with previous surgery to the primary and high linear activity. CONCLUSIONS: Exclusive brachytherapy for T1-T2 velotonsillar carcinomas is safe and effective, and permits definitive reirradiation for a second head-and-neck cancer. Initial neck dissection should be performed for optimal selection for exclusive brachytherapy.