title: Postoperative radiotherapy of squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil. Factors influencing survival and time to recurrence.
abstract: From 1970 to 1988, 40 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsillar region were treated with surgery and postoperative split-course radiotherapy. The 5-year survival rate for all the patients was 52.5%; the corresponding figure was 100% in stage I, 75% in stage II, 63% in stage III and 15% in stage IV. The local control rate was 100% in stage I, 89% in stage II, 87% in stage III and 38% in stage IV. In the proportional hazards regression analysis T- and N-category and pretreatment Karnofsky index had the strongest association to survival, whereas T- and N-category and total radiation dose were most strongly associated to time to recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kajanti
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Holsti
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mäntylä
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014067:Tonsillar Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery