Abstract
The survival figures for advanced stage oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) have remained moderate in spite of radical combined modality treatments. The purpose of this study was to investigate the used treatment approach and the outcome of OPC in a nationwide study. Retrospective clinicopathological data of all patients diagnosed with OPC between 1995 and 1999 at the five university hospitals in Finland were reviewed. All patients had a minimum 4-year follow-up. A total of 168 patients (145 men and 23 women, mean age 59 years; range 28 – 89 years) were included. The T categories were as follows: T1, n =34; T2, n =55; T3, n =40; T4, n =39. One hundred and seventeen (69.6%) patients presented with neck node metastases and three (1.8%) patients with distant metastases. In the majority (61.3%) of the patients the tumor was located in the lateral wall of the oropharynx. In 144 (85.7%) patients the treatment was performed with curative intent. Of these, surgery of the primary tumor was performed in 123 (85.4%) patients, and the defect was reconstructed with a pedicled flap or free tissue transfer in 66 (53.7%) of these patients. A neck dissection (ND) was performed in 86 (69.9%) out of these 123 cases. Surgery was the only treatment modality in 10 (6.9%) patients. Radiation therapy (RT) only (with or without chemotherapy) was given to 21 (14.6%), combined treatment with surgery + radiation therapy (S + RT) to 110 (76.4%) and surgery + chemoradiotherapy (S + CRT) to 3 (2.1%) patients. Overall (OS) 3- and 5-year survival rates were 58 and 45%, respectively. Disease-specific (DSS) 5-year survival rates by T-class for the patients treated with curative intent were as follows: T1, 77%; T2, 70%; T3, 66%; T4, 53%. The variable treatment approach, the frequent locoregional recurrences and the moderate survival point out the need to consider new strategies in the management of OPC.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cooper JS, Pajak TF, Forastiere AA, Jacobs J, Campbell BH, Saxman SB, et al (2004) Postoperative concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy for high-risk squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck. N Engl J Med 350:1937–1944
Denis F, Garaud P, Bardet E, Alfonsi M, Sire C, Germain T, Bergerot P, Rhein B, Tortochaux J, Calais G (2004) Final results of the 94–01 French head and neck oncology and radiotherapy group randomized trial comparing radiotherapy alone with concomitant radiochemotherapy in advanced-stage oropharynx carcinoma. J Clin Oncol 22:69–76
Friedlander P, Caruana S, Singh B, Shaha A, Kraus D, Harrison L, McKiernan J, Solan J, Polyak T, Shah JP (2002) Functional status after primary surgical therapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue. Head Neck 24:111–114
Galati LT, Myers EN, Johnson JT (2000) Primary surgery as treatment for early squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil. Head Neck 22:294–296
Johansen LV, Grau C, Overgaard J (2000) Squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx – an analysis of the treatment results in 289 consecutive patients. Acta Oncol 39:985–994
Licitra L, Bernier J, Grandi C, Merlano M, Paolo B, Lefebre JL (2002) Cancer of the oropharynx. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 41:107–122
Parsons JT, Mendenhall WM, Stringer SP, Amdur RJ, Hinerman RW, Villaret DB, Moore-Higgs GJ, Greene BD, Speer TW, Cassisi NJ, Million RR (2002) Squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx. Surgery, radiation therapy, or both. Cancer 94:2967–2980
Pignon JP, Bourhis J, Domenge C, Designe L (2000) Chemotherapy added to locoregional treatment for head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma: three meta-analyses of updated individual data. MACH-NC collaborative group. Meta-analysis of chemotherapy on head and neck cancer. Lancet 355:949–955
Zhen W, Karnell LH, Hoffman HT, Funk GF, Buatti JM, Menck HR (2004) The national cancer data base report on squamous cell carcinoma of the base of tongue. Head Neck 26:660–674
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mäkitie, A.A., Pukkila, M., Laranne, J. et al. Oropharyngeal carcinoma and its treatment in Finland between 1995–1999: a nationwide study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 263, 139–143 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-005-0975-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-005-0975-5