title: Retromolar trigone squamous cell carcinoma treated with radiotherapy alone or combined with surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment outcomes were analyzed for retromolar trigone squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between June 1966 and August 2003, 99 patients were treated with radiotherapy alone (35 patients) or radiotherapy combined with surgery (64 patients). Followup ranged from 0.2 to 23.8 years (median, 3.3 yrs). All living patients had followup for at least 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 5-year local-regional control rates after definitive radiotherapy versus surgery and radiotherapy were as follows: Stages I-III, 51% and 87%; Stage IV, 42% and 62%; and overall, 48% and 71%, respectively. The 5-year cause-specific survival rates after definitive radiotherapy compared with surgery and radiotherapy were as follows: Stages I-III, 56% and 83%; Stage IV, 50% and 61%; and overall, 52% and 69%, respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that the likelihood of cure was better with surgery and radiotherapy compared with definitive radiotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The likelihood of cure after treatment for retromolar trigone squamous cell carcinoma was influenced by the extent of disease and treatment. Patients treated with surgery and radiotherapy had a better outcome than those treated with radiotherapy alone.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32610, USA. mendewil@shands.ufl.edu
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Mendenhall
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Amdur
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Werning
authors.forename: Douglas B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Villaret
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome