FDG-PET scanning detected mediastinal disease in two patients (17%) with advanced-stage head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that was not identified with conventional imaging techniques. PET imaging seems to have significant potential in the detection of occult metastatic disease, particularly in the mediastinal lymphatics.
11 cases of recurrent laryngeal or hypopharyngeal carcinoma, occurring 5 or more years after radiotherapy for carcinoma, are reported. The possible pathological mechanisms involved include persistence of the original carcinoma, second primary due to the original factors, and radiation-induced carcinoma. The last-mentioned possibility is of vital importance and requires further investigation. If radiation-induced carcinoma is as common as some recent series suggest, then primary treatment of T, laryngeal carcinoma must be re-thought. However, this author believes that convincing evidence is lacking that irradiation is a common cause of late recurrent carcinoma.
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