Carcinoma of the tongue and floor of the mouth. Preliminary results of a multidisciplinary approach.
Eighty-five patients (74 males, 11 females) with untreated squamous-cell carcinoma of the tongue (40 patients) and the floor of the mouth (45 patients) underwent a multidisciplinary treatment.


RESULTS
6-72 months (median 52 months). T1-4N0M0 lesions (tongue; 32 patients; floor of mouth, 32 patients) were treated with cryosurgery (T1-2: 1-2 sessions, T3-4: 2-4 sessions) and contemporaneously with CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, fluorouracil) (T1-2: 2 courses; T3-4: 3 courses). 15-20 days after the end of cryo-chemotherapy the patients underwent TCT (T1: 50 Gy to the tumour and lymph nodes; T2-3-4: same with an extra dose of 10-15 Gy to the primary lesion). T1-4N1-3M0 patients (tongue: 8, floor of mouth: 13) received the same cryotherapy and chemotherapy, followed by surgery (13 extended suprahyoid dissections, 8 conservative laterocervical dissections, 1 RND). The actuarial survival rate of patients with tongue tumours after 6 years was 81.4% (N0 87.1%; N+ 60.0%). Four months after treatment, 35 patients had reached complete remission (CR). The probability of remaining in CR for 6 years was 53.6% (N0 56.1%; N+ 50.0%). For tumours of the floor of the mouth the actuarial survival rate was 55.2% (N0 56.5%; N+ 48.6%). Four months after treatment, 38 patients had reached CR. The probability of remaining in CR for 6 years was 59.9% (N0 61.5%; N+ 59.3%). A controlled study is recommended in the light of these results and the conservative nature of the protocol.
D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003452:Cryosurgery; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009060:Mouth Floor; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*
D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate