Carcinoma of the hypopharynx--a five year follow-up

This is a study of 339 patients with carcinoma of the hypopharynx, seen in Toronto from 1960-72. Patients were grouped according to the U.I.C.C., T.M.N. classification but a modified staging method was employed since there is no generally accepted procedure for stage-grouping at the present time. Patients treated by primary radiation were compared to a group treated by combined therapy (radiation followed by surgery). The results show that the overall crude survival of all hypopharyngeal lesions was approximately 20 per cent. A high percentage of patients had advanced lesions at first presentation and almost 30 per cent of patients were treated palliatively. Analysis indicated that combined therapy is the treatment choice for Stage I and II hypopharyngeal lesions. Patients with more advanced lesions do poorly regardless of the treatment modality. The morbidity and mortality rates are high in the combined therapy group but the risks were doubled when salvage surgery was undertaken for failed primary radiotherapy.