Analysis of the results of our combined therapy for maxillary cancer

The study was performed in 70 patients with maxillary cancer to evaluate how far the long-term survival rate of the maxillary cancer can be improved with maximum combination of radiation therapy using 6 mV Linac X-ray, intra-arterial chemotherapy using 5-fluorouracil, sufficiently extensive maxillectomy and primary reconstruction. In 52 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, the 3-year and 5-year actual survival rates were 85.2% and 71.1% respectively. In the total 70 cases including those of undifferentiated carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, the 3-year and 5-year actual survival rates were 75.2% and 64.1% respectively. Primary reconstruction, which consisted chiefly of covering the entire wound surface with the deltopectoral flap, enabled us to perform as much resection of the subcutaneous tissue of the facial skin, tissue around the mandible and cranial base as necessary, without consideration of the postoperative facial disfigurement and functional impairments.