External beam radiation therapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the soft palate

• Published in: International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 507 - 511
• Main Authors: Medini, Eitan, Medini, Allen, Gapany, Markus, Levitt, Seymour H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.06.1997; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - radiotherapy; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - surgery; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Oropharyngeal carcinoma; Otorhinolaryngology (head neck, general aspects and miscellaneous); Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Palatal Neoplasms - pathology; Palatal Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Palatal Neoplasms - surgery; Palate, Soft; Radiation therapy; Salvage Therapy; Soft palate; Tumors; Soft palate; Oropharyngeal carcinoma; Radiation therapy; Human; Squamous cell carcinoma; Stomatology; Malignant tumor; Risk analysis; Radiotherapy; Extracorporeal irradiation; Oral cavity; Dysfunction; Complication; Oral cavity disease; Palate; Survival curve
• ISSN: 0360-3016; 1879-355X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0360-3016(97)00016-3

External beam radiation therapy for carcinoma of the soft palate aims to achieve loco-regional control with normal speech, nasal function, swallowing mechanism, and minimal side effects such as nasal speech and regurgitation of food into the nasopharynx. In this report we present our results of radiotherapy in the treatment of 24 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the soft palate. A total of 24 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the soft palate were treated at the Veterans Administration Medical Center Minneapolis, MN, between February 1977 and May 1992. Of the 24 patients 2 had T1, 19 T2, 1 T3, and 2 had T4 lesions. Nineteen patients did not have clinical nodal disease, stage (N0), 1 had N1, 2 N2, and 2 N3 disease (Table 1). All the patients were treated by 4 MeV linear accelerator. A 1.75 Gy median dose was administered per fraction to a total of 70 Gy median dose. Bilateral opposed compensated shrinking fields technique was used. The 3-year disease free survival rate after external beam radiation therapy was 100% (1 out of 1), 64.7% (11 out of 17), 100% (1 out of 1), and 0%, for patients with T1, T2, T3, and T4 disease, respectively. Salvage surgery for recurrent disease was successful in 57.1% (4 out of 7 patients (Table 2). The ultimate 3-year disease free survival rate for the entire group, including surgical salvage, was 81% (17 out of 21) (Fig 1). Radiation therapy alone in our institution resulted in tumor control and survival rates compare favorably to previously published reports in the literature. Surgery can be reserved as salvage procedure.