Carcinoma of the tongue: Factors affecting the results of surgical treatment

Abstract

Sixty-five cases of carcinoma of the tongue treated by surgery were reviewed. The types of operation included hemiglossectomy, subtotal and total glossectomy with or without hemimandibulectomy and laryngectomy. Simultaneous neck dissection was usually performed except for patients who had radiotherapy and did not have clinical lymph node involvement. The hospital mortality and five-year survival rates were analysed for individual subgroups of patients classified according to clinical and pathological features. The overall hospital mortality rate was 21.5 per cent. The size of the tumour and the presence of extension posteriorly, to the opposite side and to the floor of the mouth increased the mortality. Lesions situated on the dorsum fared worse than those at the edge or undersurface. Clinically and pathologically involved lymph nodes adversely affected the mortality. The more extensive the resection, the higher the mortality. Old age and previous failed radiotherapy also increased mortality. The overall five-year survival rate was 46 per cent. Long term survival was not so much affected by the size of the primary tumour and degree of local extension as was the hospital mortality. Clinical as well as pathological staging of regional lymph nodes were more important in influencing long term survival. Recurrence after radiotherapy had a worse prognosis than previously untreated tumours.

An anatomical perspective on clinicopathological characteristics and treatment outcomes of dorsal and ventrolateral tongue leukoplakia after carbon dioxide laser surgery

“…The prognosis of the dorsal tongue carcinoma was worse in a study carried out in Hong Kong in 65 tongue cancer patients treated by surgery. The 5-year survival rate of patients with the ventrolateral tongue cancer was 51%, whereas the 5-year survival rate for the dorsal tongue cancer was 0% [21]. On the contrary, as for the treatment outcomes of mobile tongue leukoplakia in the present study, the prognosis in these two sites was not significantly different, including the postoperative recurrence rate (11.11% vs. 14.29%, P = 1.0), cumulative malignant transformation rate (7.41% vs. 2.25%, P = 0.22), and ATR (2.32% vs. 0.64%, P = 0.099, Table 3).…”

Carcinoma of the dorsum of the tongue

“…Lam 25 noted that SCC of the dorsum may carry a worse prognosis than SCC of the lateral surface or ventral undersurface. Lesions on the lateral aspect and undersurface had a 5-year survival of 51%, whereas those with SCC of the dorsum had a 5-year survival of 0%.…”

Dorsal tongue versus ventrolateral tongue leukoplakia: An anatomical perspective on clinicopathological characteristics and treatment outcomes

“…The prognosis of dorsal tongue carcinoma was worse in a study carried out in Hong Kong on the 65 tongue cancer patients treated by surgery. The 5-year survival of patients with ventrolateral tongue cancer was 51%, whereas the 5-year survival rate for the dorsal tongue cancer was 0% [17]. On the contrary, as for the treatment outcomes of mobile tongue leukoplakia in the present study, the prognosis in these two sites was not signi cantly different, including the postoperative recurrence rate (17.5% VS 21.37%, P = 0.66), cumulative malignant transformation rate (7.5% VS 7.69%, P = 0.49), and ATR (2.86% VS 1.93%, P = 0.28, Table 2).…”