[The results of combined treatment (surgery and postoperative radiotherapy) for tongue cancer and prognostic factors].
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the results of surgical treatment and postoperative radiotherapy and prognostic factors in patients with primary tongue carcinoma.


METHODS
The study included 60 patients (31 males, 29 females; median age 54 years; range 22 to 82 years) who underwent surgery and postoperative radiotherapy for oral tongue cancer. Tumor staging based on the AJCC-1997 criteria was as follows: stage I (n=1), stage II (n=21), stage III (n=12), and stage IVA (n=26). Surgery included hemiglossectomy (n=46, 76%), partial (n=13, 22%) and total (n=1, 2%) glossectomy. Neck dissection was performed in 47 patients (78%). Radiotherapy dose was generally 6000 cGy/30 fr. The median follow-up was 51 months (range 5 to 180 months).


RESULTS
The five-year overall and relapse-free survival rates were 50% and 47%, respectively. Survival at five years was 70% for stage I-III, and 20% for stage IVA. Most of the relapses occurred in the first two years after treatment. Recurrences were encountered in 31 patients (52%). The median survival after recurrence was eight months (range 1 to 53 months). In multivariate analyses, significant prognostic factors for overall survival and locoregional control were tumor size, stage, N stage, extracapsular lymph node spread, and total duration of radiotherapy. Complications were within acceptable limits.


CONCLUSIONS
Postoperative radiotherapy should be standard for patients with stage III and IVA tongue cancer.
Karadeniz
Ahmet
A
Department of Radiation Oncology, Medicine Faculty of Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. ankaradeniz53@yahoo.com
Saynak
Mert
M
Kadehci
Züleyha
Z
Fayda
Merdan
M
Aksu
Görkem
G
Kocaelli
Hümeyra
H
Hafiz
Günter
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology