Management of post-cricoid carcinoma

This paper discusses the results of treatment of post-cricoid carcinoma based on a personal series of 141 patients. The following conclusions can be drawn: small tumours with no clinical evidence of cervical lymph node metastasis should almost certainly be treated with radiotherapy, which gives a 5-year survival of approximately 35%. Surgery for recurrent disease after radiotherapy if fraught with complications, and satisfactory salvage is seldom possible. Surgery for larger tumours and those associated with neck node metastases has a lower (20%) 5-year survival with a high incidence of complications. The main problem after pharyngolaryngectomy is replacement of the pharynx. There is no evidence that any one of the methods in common use (skin flaps, transposition of the colon or stomach) is superior to any other.