ADJUVANT RADIOTHERAPY FOR SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE TONGUE BASE - IMPROVED LOCAL-REGIONAL DISEASE-CONTROL COMPARED WITH SURGERY ALONE

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study is to present the res ults of postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy after primary surgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue base and to compare these result s to those obtained with surgery alone, Methods: Between 1974 and 1993 , continuous-course postoperative radiotherapy was delivered to 24 pat ients (Adjuvant Radiotherapy Group), Results were compared to those fr om a group of 55 patients treated with surgery alone (Surgery Group), Results: Characteristics of the two groups were similar, except that a larger proportion of patients in the Adjuvant Radiotherapy Group had higher pathologic TNM stages. Ipsilateral neck control (87% vs. 68%, p 0.04), contralateral neck central (100% vs. 76%,p = 0.002), relapse-f ree survival (64% vs, 16%,p = 0.04), and control above the clavicles ( 80% vs. 48%,p = 0.007) were significantly higher in the Adjuvant Radio therapy Group compared to those in the Surgery Group (5-year figures s hown). Conclusion: The use of adjuvant radiotherapy after surgical res ection of tongue base squamous cell carcinoma significantly decreased the rate of local-regional recurrence and improved relapse-free surviv al compared with surgery alone but did not alter cause-specific or ove rall survival. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.