[A combination therapy for hypopharyngeal cancer]

A combination of induction chemotherapy, radical surgery with primary reconstruction of the cervical esophagus and postoperative chemo-radiotherapy has been utilized in our department for the treatment of hypopharyngeal cancer since January, 1983. Until then, preoperative chemoradiotherapy up to 4600 rads had been the policy of choice and satisfactory effect was not always obtained patho-histologically , though remarkable reduction of tumor was observed in many cases macroscopically. Radical surgery such as total laryngopharyngectomy with bilateral neck dissection followed by primary reconstruction using the pectoralis major myocutaneous flap is the procedure of choice. The myocutaneous flap is the procedure of choice. The myocutaneous flap technique is advisable in most cases, facilitating earlier use of post-operative chemoradiotherapy. Induction chemotherapy currently used in our department consists of sequential use of FT-207, ADR, MMC, Pepleomycin and then MMC again (FAM-PM).