Oral and Oropharyngeal Carcinoma: Surgical Treatment in Irradiated and Nonirradiated Patients

Total Glossectomy Without Laryngectomy as First‐Line or Salvage Therapy

“…3 In early studies, high complication rates were found after salvage surgery. 4,5 Total glossectomy is sometimes the only hope for a cure in patients with advanced carcinoma of the tongue after radiation therapy for another head and neck tumor or with recurrent carcinoma of the tongue after radiation therapy alone or with surgery. Without treatment, carcinoma of the tongue is consistently fatal after a period of severe functional impairment and pain.…”

Total Glossectomy Without Laryngectomy as First‐Line or Salvage Therapy

“…3 In early studies, high complication rates were found after salvage surgery. 4,5 Total glossectomy is sometimes the only hope for a cure in patients with advanced carcinoma of the tongue after radiation therapy for another head and neck tumor or with recurrent carcinoma of the tongue after radiation therapy alone or with surgery. Without treatment, carcinoma of the tongue is consistently fatal after a period of severe functional impairment and pain.…”

Aggressive Surgical Therapy After Irradiation Failure in Treatment of Cancer of the Oral Tongue

“…Surgeons have been dis¬ couraged from operation on patients in whom radiation therapy failed by the higher incidence of postoperative complications. 24 26 In addition, the surgeon may choose a less radical procedure because of these considerations. The aggressive surgical approach used in our patients empha¬ sized wide excision of the primary tumor,12 including man¬ dibular resection if the tumor abutted periosteum.1315 All patients underwent homolateral radical neck dissection regardless of the clinical assessment of the cervical nodes.1618 In our series, a greater proportion of previously irradiated patients required mandibular resection.…”

Total Glossectomy Without Laryngectomy as First‐Line or Salvage Therapy

“…3 In early studies, high complication rates were found after salvage surgery. 4,5 Total glossectomy is sometimes the only hope for a cure in patients with advanced carcinoma of the tongue after radiation therapy for another head and neck tumor or with recurrent carcinoma of the tongue after radiation therapy alone or with surgery. Without treatment, carcinoma of the tongue is consistently fatal after a period of severe functional impairment and pain.…”

Aggressive Surgical Therapy After Irradiation Failure in Treatment of Cancer of the Oral Tongue

“…Surgeons have been dis¬ couraged from operation on patients in whom radiation therapy failed by the higher incidence of postoperative complications. 24 26 In addition, the surgeon may choose a less radical procedure because of these considerations. The aggressive surgical approach used in our patients empha¬ sized wide excision of the primary tumor,12 including man¬ dibular resection if the tumor abutted periosteum.1315 All patients underwent homolateral radical neck dissection regardless of the clinical assessment of the cervical nodes.1618 In our series, a greater proportion of previously irradiated patients required mandibular resection.…”

Total Glossectomy Without Laryngectomy as First‐Line or Salvage Therapy

“…3 In early studies, high complication rates were found after salvage surgery. 4,5 Total glossectomy is sometimes the only hope for a cure in patients with advanced carcinoma of the tongue after radiation therapy for another head and neck tumor or with recurrent carcinoma of the tongue after radiation therapy alone or with surgery. Without treatment, carcinoma of the tongue is consistently fatal after a period of severe functional impairment and pain.…”

Aggressive Surgical Therapy After Irradiation Failure in Treatment of Cancer of the Oral Tongue

“…Surgeons have been dis¬ couraged from operation on patients in whom radiation therapy failed by the higher incidence of postoperative complications. 24 26 In addition, the surgeon may choose a less radical procedure because of these considerations. The aggressive surgical approach used in our patients empha¬ sized wide excision of the primary tumor,12 including man¬ dibular resection if the tumor abutted periosteum.1315 All patients underwent homolateral radical neck dissection regardless of the clinical assessment of the cervical nodes.1618 In our series, a greater proportion of previously irradiated patients required mandibular resection.…”