title: Postoperative radiation therapy for T1 and T2 primary parotid carcinoma: is it useful?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The benefit of postoperative radiation for advanced primary parotid carcinoma has been reported previously, whereas studies to evaluate the usefulness of postoperative radiation for T1 and T2 parotid carcinomas have never been performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis on 58 previously untreated patients with T1 and T2 parotid carcinomas. In 34 patients, postoperative radiation was included in the treatment protocol and in 24 patients, no postoperative radiation was applied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A local recurrence was observed in 8 of 24 (33%) patients without and in 1 of 34 (3%) patients with postoperative radiation (P < 0.5). The 5-year actuarial and disease-free survival rate was 83% and 70% for patients without postoperative radiation and 93% and 92% for patients with postoperative radiation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Local recurrence was less often observed in patients with postoperative radiation. Nevertheless, prospective randomized studies are needed to confirm the usefulness of postoperative radiation in early carcinomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  B-3b.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital, CH-3000 Berne, Switzerland. peter.zbaeren@insel.ch
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zbären
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nuyens
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caversaccio
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Greiner
authors.forename: Edouard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stauffer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D011182:Postoperative Care; D016896:Treatment Outcome