NECK DISSECTION WITH OR WITHOUT POSTOPERATIVE RADIOTHERAPY IN SUPRAGLOTTIC CARCINOMAS

A retrospective review of 302 previously untreated patients with prima ry supraglottic carcinoma was undertoken to ascertain the efficacy of postoperotive radiotherapy. The 302 patients underwent a total of 383 functional neck dissections and 45 classic radical neck dissections. P athological examination revealed nodal involvement in 117 patients (39 %). In the histologically NO group, the incidence of contralateral nec k recurrence when a unilateral neck dissection and postoperative radio therapy were carried out was 8%, rising 21% when no postoperative radi ation was given. There was no difference in the ipsilateral recurrence rate in the NO group, radiated patients (3%) and nonradiated patients (2%). Similar figures were found in the N1 group. Bilateral functiona l neck dissection in histologically N0, N1, and N2 necks had similar r ecurrence rates with or without radiotherapy. Distant metastasis appea red in 10% of NO patients and in 35% of N3 patients. Patients who rece ived postoperative radiotherapy showed a significantly higher rate of distant metastasis (21%) than patients who did not (8%). The number of involved lymph nodes had no relevance both in neck recurrence and dis tant metastasis.