[Clinical study and survival analysis of combined modality therapies for advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma]

To evaluate the efficacy of combined modality therapy for advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma in order to improve the curative effect of hypopharyngeal carcinoma.

Seventy-six male patients with the stage III - IV hypopharyngeal carcinoma were treated with postoperative combined modality. Of all the 76 cases, 44 were treated with postoperative radiotherapy, and the other 32 treated with chemoradiotherapy concurrently.

Kaplan Meier analysis indicated that the overall 5 survival rates of patients treated with postoperative radiotherapy was 25.9%, and that of patients treated with postoperative chemoradiotherapy was 27.8%. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Three and five years relapse-free survival rates of the patients treated with postoperative radiotherapy were 36.0%, 22.5%, and those of the patients treated with postoperative chemoradiotherapy were 68.0%, 45.3%. Significant difference was calculated between the two groups (P<0.05). According to the NCI CTC3.0 criteria, the toxicities on grade 3 or above of the two groups showed no significant difference (P>0.05).

For advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma, postoperative chemoradiotherapy yielded satisfactory relapse free survival and laryngeal function preservation rate which was superior to that of postoperative radiotherapy. Also the treatment toxicities were not increased.