[A clinical study of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue base]

Between 1979 and 1992, 27 previously untreated patients with squamous cell carcinoma involving the base of the tongue underwent treatment with curative intent. Seven patients were in Stage I, II (26%) and 20 patients were in stage III, IV (74%). Seventeen patients (63%) presented clinically with neck metastasis. The patients were followed for a minimum of two years or until death or recurrence. Primary tumors treated with surgery or radiotherapy showed control rates of 80% (12 of 15 tumors) and 88% (7 of 8 tumors), respectively. The overall survival was 59 percent at 5 years. For the patients with exophitic primaries, local control with radiotherapy produced excellent results, whereas for advanced or deeply invasive tumors, surgery enhanced local control. Radiation therapy successfully controlled early neck disease (N0, N1). Patients with advanced neck disease (N2, N3) had poor regional control with radiotherapy, necessitating subsequent neck dissection. Forty-three percent of the N2b or N3 patients were found to have contralateral occult metastasis. Results obtained in the present study show that patients with T3, T4 or N2, N3 should undergo surgery. Prospective trials are necessary to compare surgery versus definitive radiotherapy with respect to patient survival and quality of life.