• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 1999

Objectives: The treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil remains controversial. Surgery or radiation therapy alone is effective in treating early tonsil cancer, but results with single treatment modality in advanced disease have been disappointing. We retrospectively analyzed 37 patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil for two treatment modalities in an effort to identify more efficacious therapeutic options. Materials and Methods: From 1990 through 1997, 37 patients who were treated primarily with surgery, were retrospectively sudied. The patients were grouped into two groups according to the method of treatment, extended tonsillectomy followed by irradiation and/or postradiation neck dissection(Group I) and a combination of composite resection and postoperative radiation(Group II). Results: The three year disease-tree survival in patients with stage IV lesions was 59.09% for the Group I patients, and 56.25% for the Group II patients. This difference was not statistically significant(p=0.775). The primary tumor recurrence rate in Group I was 16.7% in contrast to 23.1% for Group II. The local recurrence rate in the neck was 16.7% for the Group I patients and 23.1% for the Group II patients. There was no significant difference in the frequency of recurrences in the primary or neck in the patients treated with extended tonsillectomy or composite resection(p=0.639). Fistula formation and aspiration occurred in four patients after composite resection. Additionally, there were three trismus, one soft tissue necrosis, and one velopharyngeal insufficiency. Major complications were not observed in the patients treated with extended tonsillectomy and irradiation: velopharyngeal insufficiency was observed in eight patients and soft tissue necrosis in two patients. Conclusion: Extended tonsillectomy followed by irradiation may be an effective therapy with low morbidity in selected patients with tonsil cancer.