RESULTS OF RADIOTHERAPY FOR SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE VERMILION BORDER OF THE LOWER LIP - A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF 108 PATIENTS

The authors analyzed the clinical history, tumor histology and stage, and outcome of a group of 108 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (S CC) of the vermilion border of the lower lip who underwent radiation t herapy in the period between 1980 and 1992. The median follow-up was 7 7 months. The disease stages were T1 in 89 (82.4%), T2 in 17 (15.7%), and T3 in 2 cases (1.9%). At presentation, regional lymph nodes were c linically negative in all but 3 patients. The total tumor dose varied from 48 Gy to 70 Gy, depending on the radiation modality (orthovoltage , electrons, photontherapy and iridium implants). Local control was ac hieved in 88 out of 89 (98.9%) patients with T1, in 13 out of 17 (76.5 %) patients with T2 and in both patients with T3 tumors. Local treatme nt failures (4.6%) were cured by salvage surgery. During follow-up, re gional lymph node metastases at level I (submental and submandibular g roups) occurred in 11 out of 89 (12.4%) patients with stage I and in 1 out of 15 (6.7%) patients with stage II tumors. All these patients un derwent therapeutic neck dissection, followed by radiotherapy in 8 cas es. Two patients developed distant metastases. Thus, after salvage tre atment of local failures and regional metastases the total group of pa tients with stage I and II SCCs of the vermilion border of the lower l ip showed a definitive control rate of 98.1%.