Advanced carcinoma of the tongue: Total glossectomy without total laryngectomy. review of 80 cases

Opinions are divided over the validity of total glossectomy without associated total laryngectomy for advanced carcinoma of the tongue. This retrospective study evaluates the oncologic and functional results obtained in 80 patients who underwent total glossectomy as a primary procedure or as salvage surgery. Satisfactory swallowing ability was obtained in 41 patients, and speech was understandable in 49 patients. The survival rate at 1 year was 65%, with early recurrence of the disease, which was especially frequent in patients with prior radiotherapy, being the major cause of death. The study confirms the poor prognosis of cases with mandibular involvement, and the fact that partial laryngectomy, when required, impairs functional results. In the light of the authors' experience, total glossectomy without total laryngectomy should only be undertaken in motivated and well-supported patients able to accomplish the difficult rehabilitation process.     

累及舌根晚期咽喉恶性肿瘤的手术及舌根重建

目的 探讨累及舌根恶性肿瘤的手术及功能重建。方法 对手术治疗的57例原发舌根及咽喉部累及舌根的恶性肿瘤病人进行总结，其中舌根癌7例，软腭癌累及舌根6例，扁桃体癌累及舌根14例，声门上区喉癌累及舌根30例，分别实施经口、咽侧、舌骨区、下颌骨正中裂开外旋入路切除肿瘤，术后行切除舌根的修复及舌功能重建，应用颈阔肌皮瓣、胸骨舌骨肌肌筋膜(皮)瓣、颞肌肌筋膜瓣、胸大肌肌皮瓣、喉气管瓣及局部拉拢缝合喉体上提修复缺损。结果 全部病人术后经锻炼逐步恢复了饮食功能；除行喉气管瓣修复5例外，全部恢复了言语功能；3年、5年生存率分别为40／57(70．18％)、33／57(57．89％)。结论 术前对肿瘤原发部位及范围的准确评估是选择合适的手术进路、修复方式及彻底切除肿瘤的重要前提；适合的手术入路及修复方式，在彻底切除肿瘤的同时得以功能重建，提高了生活质量，可以获得较为理想的治疗效果：对这类肿瘤府采取积极有效的综合治疗措施。     

Management of cervical metastases in advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the base of tongue

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the role of neck dissection following primary radiotherapy for treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the base of tongue. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: Academic, tertiary care medical center. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A consecutive series of 45 patients with biopsy-proven squamous cell carcinoma of the base of tongue and cervical metastases treated with primary radiotherapy at The University of California, San Francisco, was examined. Patients with a prior history of neck irradiation, neck dissection, or head and neck cancer within 5 years were excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Overall survival and regional control. RESULTS: Of the 45 patients treated with definitive radiotherapy, 25 (56%) achieved a complete response, 13 (29%) achieved a partial response, 4 (9%) were nonresponders, and 3 (7%) did not complete radiotherapy. Two thirds of the complete responders had N2 or N3 disease; 3 had recurrences in the neck, 1 of which was an isolated neck recurrence. Of the 13 partial responders, 5 had isolated persistence of disease, with 4 undergoing neck dissections. The only long-term survivors among the partial responders were those 4 who underwent a neck dissection. Overall survival was 50% at 3 years and 32% at 5 years. Regional control for complete responders was 84% at 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: The low rate of isolated regional recurrence in patients with a complete response to radiotherapy supports the practice of surveillance alone in such patients. Patients with less than a complete response appear to benefit from prompt surgical salvage.     

舌骨咽切开术治疗舌根癌

目的 探讨舌根癌外科治疗的最佳进路和方法。方法通过舌骨咽切开术治疗11例舌根癌,同期行会厌切除者4例,喉水平部分切除者1例。选择性颈清扫术1例,单侧功能性颈清扫术2例,双侧功能性颈清扫术1例,单侧根治性颈清扫术6例,一侧根治性和另一侧功能性颈清扫术1例。结果鳞状细胞癌10例,胚胎性横纹肌肉瘤1例;术后出现咽漏1例,进食流质轻度呛咳1例,上切缘阳性者1例,淋巴结转移者7例;术后拔管率100％;2、3、5年生存率分别为81.8％,77.8％,33.3％。结论 舌骨咽切开进路可清晰暴露舌根、会厌、下咽及喉部,适用于这些部位的肿瘤切除,并发症少。     

Squamous cell carcinoma of the base of tongue

Summary Squamous cell carcinoma of the base of tongue is known to have a poor clinical prognosis that is primarily attributable to such tumors usually presenting at an advanced stage. Fortunately, if detected early, these malignancies may have a more favorable prognosis. We have reviewed the current literature of squamous cell carcinoma of the base of tongue, focusing on epidemiologic data, treatment options, as well as survival results. Data have also been incorporated from a previously unpublished retrospective study performed in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh.Supported in part by a grant from the Mary Hillman Jennings Foundation     

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the base of the tongue

A retrospective review of 14 patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the tongue treated between 1955 and 1997 was performed. Treatment consisted of surgery (n = 2), radiotherapy (n = 2), chemotherapy (n = 1), or combination therapy (n = 9). The 2-, 5-, and 10-year absolute survival rates were 92%, 79%, and 63%, respectively. Seventy-five percent of the patients who died of cancer succumbed to distant metastases. However, long-term survival was common despite a high incidence of local and distant recurrence. The presence of positive surgical margins, the incidence of regional metastases, the incidence of perineural invasion, the initial stage of disease, and the eventual development of locoregional recurrence and distant metastases did not significantly alter the survival rate. Surgical extirpation combined with postoperative radiotherapy is advocated for the treatment of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the tongue. Given the indolent nature of this disease process, surgery should be directed toward conservation of speech and swallowing function.     

胸骨舌骨肌筋膜瓣舌根成形术治疗晚期喉声门上型癌

目的探讨晚期喉声门上型癌治疗中减少误咽的手术方法。方法对19例晚期喉声门上型癌进行手术治疗,采用胸骨舌骨肌筋膜瓣修复延长舌根,再将残喉与新舌根吻合重建喉功能。术后辅以放射治疗。结果19例中15例拔管,拔管率为78.9%,患者均恢复了较好的经口进食功能,无误咽病例出现,发音功能良好。3年生存率为84.2%(16/19),5年生存率为57.1%(8/14)。结论胸骨舌骨肌筋膜瓣舌根成形术操作简单,能恢复满意的喉、舌功能,可有效减轻或避免术后误咽的发生,是晚期喉声门上型癌手术治疗中理想的手术方法。     

舌根癌手术治疗2例报告

目的探讨手术治疗舌根癌的方法.方法分别为2例舌根癌患者实施咽侧入路及下颌骨正中裂开外旋入路切除肿瘤,应用胸骨舌骨肌肌筋膜瓣和胸大肌肌皮瓣修复缺损.结果2例患者切口均一期愈合,经锻炼逐步恢复了吞咽及语言功能;术后10月和18月复发.结论术前充分检查,准确评估肿瘤范围是选择合适的术式,彻底切除肿瘤的前提;咽侧入路及下颌骨正中裂开外旋入路是切除舌根癌最常用的有效手术径路;胸骨舌骨肌肌筋膜瓣和胸大肌肌皮瓣修复是两种有效的修复方法,前者对术后吞咽、语言功能的影响较小,后者可修复局部较大的组织缺损.     

Hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue

Clear cell carcinoma of the salivary glands is a rare tumour that represents less than one per cent of all salivary tumours. They are divided into a biphasic, epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma and a monophasic pattern which may be myoepithelial or ductal in origin. The latter is accompanied by prominent fibrohyaline stroma and has been described recently as hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma (HCCC). Most of the HCCC occur in the oral cavity, and are associated with minor salivary glands, unlike the biphasic pattern which is more common in the major salivary glands. In the oral cavity, the commonest site is the palate followed by the lips and the buccal mucosa. Its occurrence in the oropharynx and the larynx is extremely rare.     

A technique of tongue reconstruction following near-total glossectomy

Total glossectomy is the most crippling of all oral cavity resections. Speech problems are unavoidable and post-operative aspiration is often severe. Two patients are presented who have had tongue reconstructions following near-total glossectomies. In each case a quilted, split-skin grafted pectoralis major muscle flap was used. The speech and swallowing results of these two patients are compared with two patients who underwent a hemiglossectomy and total glossectomy respectively without tongue reconstruction. Only if the suprahyoid and extrinsic tongue muscles are preserved can an active oral phase of swallowing and usable speech be regained by tongue reconstruction.     

Transoral laser microsurgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue

OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of transoral laser microsurgery for base of tongue squamous cell carcinoma. DESIGN: Retrospective unicenter study of the oncologic and functional results of laser microsurgery of tongue base carcinoma performed between 1986 and 1997. SETTINGS: University hospital department. PATIENTS: We reviewed 48 previously untreated patients with base of tongue squamous cell carcinoma, who were treated with transoral laser microsurgery. Distribution of the T categories were T1, 2%; T2, 25%; T3, 15%; and T4, 58%; 94% belonged to the stages III and IVa. Selective neck dissection was performed in 43 patients; 23 patients underwent postoperative radiotherapy with or without simultaneous chemotherapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Local control rate, recurrence-free and overall survival rates, mean performance status scale scores for normalcy of diet and understandability of speech. RESULTS: The Kaplan-Meier 5-year local control rate was 85%. There was no local recurrence in T1 and T2 lesions, but there was a 20% local recurrence rate in T3 and T4 tumors. Kaplan-Meier 5-year recurrence-free and overall survival rates were 73% and 52%, respectively. Mean performance status scale scores were 92% for normalcy of diet and 88% for understandability of speech. Twenty-one patients survived at least 5 years after treatment. They have a preserved larynx and live without tracheostoma or gastrostomy tube. CONCLUSIONS: Our concept of organ and function preserving laser microsurgery for selected patients with base of tongue cancer seems to be justified considering the achieved oncological and functional results. Final proof of the effectiveness of the new therapeutic concept presented herein requires well-designed prospective studies.     

舌根癌的手术治疗

目的：探讨4种手术方式治疗舌根癌的疗效。方法：回顾性分析1985—1999年间49例舌根癌，采用4种手术方式治疗，即切除下颌骨升支和/或部分体部的经咽侧入路；保留下颌骨经咽侧入路；切开下颌骨入路；保留下颌骨缘的改良下颌骨部分切除入路。38例舌根缺损采用6种不同的皮瓣或肌皮瓣一期修复。结果：49例舌根癌病人3，5年生存率分别为53．1％，32．7％。手术入路各组间生存率无统计学意义(P＞0．05)；6种皮瓣或肌皮瓣修复以薄皮瓣及舌瓣术后功能恢复好；有颈淋巴结转移组较无转移组5年生存率明显下降(P＜0.05)。结论:为了提高病人的生存质量，在彻底切除肿瘤的前提下，应尽可能保持下颌骨的连续性，舌根缺损宜用较薄肌皮瓣组织修复；对N0舌根癌病人施行颈廓清术是十分必要的。     

Hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma arising from the base of the tongue

Hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma is a low-grade indolent and rare salivary gland tumor originally described by Milchgrub et al. in 1994. We herein report a case of this tumor of the base of the tongue. A 66-year-old Japanese woman presented with a large painless mass in the throat. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 40x30-mm well-defined ovoid tumor arising from the base of the tongue. She underwent tracheostomy followed by a resection of the tumor via the transmandibular approach combined with a right-sided supra-omohyoid neck dissection. Because the tumor invasion of the surrounding tissue was limited, the surgical defect at the base of the tongue was relatively small, and no reconstructive procedure needed to be performed. The tumor was histopathologically diagnosed as hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma of the minor salivary gland. Her postoperative clinical course was uneventful. No aspiration or difficulty upon deglutition was recognized when she started transoral ingestion on the eighth postoperative day. The patient is currently free from disease 21 months after surgery. The pathology, clinical characteristics, and treatment of hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma are bibliographically reviewed.     

The suprahyoid approach for squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue.

The suprahyoid pharyngotomy is a well-recognized surgical approach to the base of the tongue. However, its use has been widely criticized for squamous cell carcinomas. Some surgeons believe this approach offers limited exposure and that violating the preepiglottic space increases the risk of recurrence. A retrospective study of squamous cell carcinoma of the base of tongue was carried out to address these surgical concerns. Nineteen patients presented with T1 or T2 lesions, 13 of whom underwent suprahyoid pharyngotomy with neck dissection. Those with nodal disease underwent adjunctive irradiation therapy and those with extracapsular spread also received subsequent adjuvant chemotherapy. At present, all patients are disease free. The suprahyoid pharyngotomy is an ideal surgical approach in the management of T1 or T2 squamous cell carcinoma of the base of tongue.     

P-Glycoprotein expression in the squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue base

P-glycoprotein (PGP), which is a product of the multidrug resistance gene (MDR1), is an active transmembrane efflux pump responsible for detoxifying normal cells as well as rendering tumor cells resistant to chemotherapy. It has also been implicated to be expressed by more aggressive cancers. It has not been well described in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. In this investigation, an attempt was made to characterize advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the base of tongue with respect to expression of PGP. Using immunohistochemical techniques two anti-PGP monoclonal antibodies (JSB1and C494) were used to detect PGP in these lesions, and an attempt was made to correlate levels of PGP staining and various tumor parameters. Usefulness of PGP in predicting survival and time to recurrence was also examined for these advanced lesions. All 33 base of tongue lesions showed staining for PGP with these monoclonal antibodies. This was the first study examining utility of C494 in detecting PGP in squamous cell carcinoma at this site. Increased level of PGP expression was seen in better-differentiated tumors as well as in tumors with diploid DNA. A trend of higher PGP expression and decreased survival emerged. This may represent a true relationship, but inherent heterogeneity of PGP expression within cells cannot be excluded. Both antibodies examined appear to be useful in the investigations of PGP distribution in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck sites by immunohistochemical techniques. Prognostic value of the level of PGP expression remains to be seen.     

Hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma arising from the base of the tongue

Hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma is a low-grade indolent and rare salivary gland tumor originally described by Milchgrub et al. in 1994. We herein report a case of this tumor of the base of the tongue. A 66-year-old Japanese woman presented with a large painless mass in the throat. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 40×30-mm well-defined ovoid tumor arising from the base of the tongue. She underwent tracheostomy followed by a resection of the tumor via the transmandibular approach combined with a right-sided supra-omohyoid neck dissection. Because the tumor invasion of the surrounding tissue was limited, the surgical defect at the base of the tongue was relatively small, and no reconstructive procedure needed to be performed. The tumor was histopathologically diagnosed as hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma of the minor salivary gland. Her postoperative clinical course was uneventful. No aspiration or difficulty upon deglutition was recognized when she started transoral ingestion on the eighth postoperative day. The patient is currently free from disease 21 months after surgery. The pathology, clinical characteristics, and treatment of hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma are bibliographically reviewed.     

Staging of base of tongue carcinoma by computed tomography

Staging of carcinoma of the base of the tongue according to the system adopted by the American Joint Committee on Cancer relies on clinical examination possibly augmented by multiple biopsies. Palpation of the tongue base can be difficult without anaesthesia due to retching and vomiting. Computed tomography can, however, accurately depict the deep structures of the base of the tongue without discomfort to the patient. It can also demonstrate the nodal stations of the neck. In 12 patients with primary carcinoma of the base of the tongue the clinical staging results were compared with the CT findings. In 10 of the 12 patients there was good correlation between tumour size and location, while only 2 patients showed a 1.0-1.5 cm discrepancy in the size estimate of the primary tumour. A total of 9 enlarged lymph nodes or nodal groups were only found by CT. The majority of positive nodal stations demonstrated only by CT were in the contralateral neck. Computed tomography is a valuable complement when staging tongue base carcinomas, particularly when evaluating the neck for lymph node metastasis.     

Treatment of carcinoma of the base of the tongue and the larynx

Cancer of the base of the tongue and the larynx is usually treated primarily with irradiation to 6,000 rads. Persistence of tumor after irradiation is common and requires a logical, thoughtful approach designed to augment all tissues removed. Careful preoperative planning and the use of the lateral approach to the base of the tongue, in conjunction with pharyngostome and laryngostome formation allows wide resection of the cancer. Preservation of the function of speech and swallowing, and preservation of the mandibular contour are important, and correlate closely with carotid artery protection. Five different methods of approach to the problem are analyzed and presented.