Vol.99 No.9 contentsPRACTICA OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGICA
Vol. 99 No. 9 September 2006
Treatment of Tongue Cancer
Masayuki Shibayama, Masakazu Hanamitsu, Satoshi Sonoda and Takeshi Shimizu
(Shiga University of Medical Science)
We retrospectively reviewed 52 tongue cancer patients who received definitive treatment at Shiga University Hospital between January 1993 and August 2004.
In cases of T1 and early T2 (early T2: ≦3 cm), partial glossectomy was performed. Radical operation followed by reconstructive surgery was performed after pre-operative chemotherapy in cases of advanced T2 (advanced T2: ＞3 cm), T3 and T4. Post-operative radiation was performed in some cases to prevent local and cervical recurrence.
The 5-year survival rates by the Kaplan-Meier method were 92％ in stage I, 88％ in stage II, 73％ in stage III, 55％ in stage IV, and 72％ overall, respectively. The 5-year survival rates by the size in T2 cases were 90％ in early T2 and 46％ in advanced T2. Twelve cases were relapsed. Locoregional recurrence occurred in 11 patients (5 cases at the primary site, 6 in the neck), and distant metastasis in 4 patients. Long-term survivors after secondary treatment were 3 of 11 cases with recurrence at the primary site.
The results of salvage treatment for recurrent cases were discouraging. Adjuvant chemotherapy and post-operative radiotherapy are recommended for advanced tongue cancer.
Key words :
tongue cancer, radical operation, pre-operative chemotherapy, post-operative radiation,
survival rate