title: Clinical and pathological determinants in tonsillar cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to present the impact of clinicopathological factors on patient survival in tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) that needs to be evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study enrolled 86 patients with tonsillar SCC undergoing surgical resection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cumulative 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) rate for stages I, II, III, and IVa/b tumors was 100%, 91.7%, 100%, and 61.8%, respectively. Unfavorable cumulative 5-year DSS rates were significantly correlated with advanced T classification (p = .029), tumor thickness over 1 cm (p = .007), 3 or more positive neck lymph nodes (p < .001), and extracapsular spread (ECS; p = .002). Cox regression analysis revealed that the presence of 3 or more positive neck lymph nodes (p = .035) and the stage IVa/b (p = .022) were the independent predictors of the 5-year DSS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with tonsillar SCC with stage IVa/b and metastasis to 3 or more lymph nodes have poorer clinical outcomes. Novel therapeutic strategies are necessary for these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hui-Ching
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Fu-Min
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Chao-Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hsuan-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Han-Ku
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chang-Han
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chih-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chien
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D015996:Survival Rate; D014067:Tonsillar Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult