title: Salvage surgery of cervical recurrences after neck dissection or radiotherapy.
abstract: A series of 113 patients operated on in the period 1980-1989 for a neck recurrence from a head and neck cancer was studied. All patients had no other evidence of disease. The male/female ratio was 93/20, and the median age was 58 years (range 28-87). Previous treatment consisted of surgery (SG) +/- radiotherapy (RT) in 81 patients (SG group) and only RT in 32 (RT group): 59 cases presented a relapse in the treated neck and 54 in the contralateral side. All but one contralateral recurrences were in the SG group. Ten patients were lost to follow-up. The observed 5-year survival rate of the whole series was 29.2% (95% confidence interval, 0%-38%). Considering patients with ipsilateral recurrences, the 5-year disease-free survival rate was 38.7% (95% c.i., 28.7%-48.7%) and 27% (95% c.i., 18%-36%) for the SG and the RT group, respectively. The 5-year disease-free survival rate after SG for contralateral recurrences was 38.8% (95% c.i., 23.8%-53.8%). Dimension and mobility of the neck nodes were the only demonstrable prognostic factors.
authors.affiliation: Division of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grandi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mingardo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guzzo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Licitra
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Podrecca
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Molinari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D015996:Survival Rate