Carcinoma of the tongue base

This study reports the results of surgical treatment of patients with carcinoma of the base of tongue-supraglottic complex. The base of the tongue, the epiglottic valleculae, preepiglottic space and supraglottic part of the larynx develop from one central region. The proper term to refer to these structures is tongue base-supraglottic complex. Carcinoma of this complex is a challenge for the surgeons working in the field of head and neck surgery.

Patients with squamous-cell carcinoma of the tongue base present usually in advanced stage of the disease. The treatment includes surgery supplemented with radiation therapy. All patients underwent supraglottic laryngectomy through suprahyoid pharyngectomy and extended resection of the tongue base that allowed sufficient visualization of the tumor. One-stage functional or radical cervical dissection was applied.

Twenty-eight patients with carcinoma of the tongue base-supraglottic complex were treated in the Department of Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases of the Medical University Plovdiv between 2001 and 2004. Twenty of these patients received postoperative radiotherapy.

The supraglottic laryngectomy with suprahyoid pharyngectomy provides good exposure of the tumor in the area of the tongue base-supraglottic complex allowing thorough resection of the tumor and avoiding the functional and cosmetic defects characteristic of the combined method (mandibulotomy).