title: Planned postradiotherapy bilateral neck dissection for head and neck cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This is a retrospective analysis of 50 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with radiotherapy (RT) to the primary site and bilateral neck followed by a planned bilateral neck dissection approximately 4 to 6 weeks after completion of RT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between November 1964 and March 1997, 50 patients underwent bilateral neck dissections after RT, with minimum 2-year follow-up. Forty-eight patients had bilateral positive neck nodes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 5 years, the rates of neck disease control, local-regional control, and cause-specific survival were 76%, 70%, and 39%, respectively. Five severe complications developed after surgery, and 1 developed after RT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiotherapy followed by a planned bilateral neck dissection resulted in a high rate of local-regional control with acceptable morbidity. The likelihood of severe complications after simultaneous (as opposed to staged) neck dissection was not significantly different (P =.24).
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Somerset
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Mendenhall
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Amdur
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Villaret
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Stringer
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011336:Probability; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome