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Updated: May 10, 2026
Retroductal Submandibular Gland Instillation and Localized Fractionated Irradiation in a Rat Model of Salivary Hypofunction
Published on: April 24, 2016
Tonsillar cancer: the Peter MacCallum experience with unilateral and bilateral irradiation
Chen Liu1, Gaelle Dutu, Lester J Peters
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Victoria, Australia; The University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Background:
The primary purpose of this study was to review the efficacy of unilateral treatment of lateralized tonsil primaries, in particular whether laterality of the primary is a more powerful determinant of contralateral neck failure than advanced ipsilateral nodal classification.
Methods:
A retrospective study of all patients with tonsillar cancer treated with curative intent between January 1990 and December 2002 was performed.
Results:
There were 167 patients, 76% men, median age 58 years, 86% current or ex-smokers. The majority of patients (58%) had stage IV disease. Five-year local, nodal, locoregional, and distant failure rates were 14%, 4%, 18%, and 8%, respectively. Of the 58 patients treated unilaterally, 33% had N2a, N2b, or N3 nodal disease. There were no contralateral nodal failures in the unilaterally treated group.
Conclusion:
These results support the potential use of unilateral radiation therapy (RT) for lateralized tonsil primaries even with advanced ipsilateral nodal disease.
