BACKGROUND: The role of salvage neck dissection for isolated regional recurrences after definitive radiotherapy (RT) is ill-defined. METHODS: Five-hundred fifty patients were treated with RT for lymph node-positive head and neck cancer. RT consisted of a median dose of 74.4 Gy. Chemotherapy was administered in 133 patients (24%). Patients were followed for neck failure after planned neck dissection (n = 341) or observation (n = 209). Salvage therapy was offered to those with isolated neck recurrences. RESULTS: There were 54 (10%) failures in the neck at a median 3.7 months after RT (range, 0 to 17 months). Thirteen patients had isolated recurrences after receiving definitive RT with (n = 11) or without (n = 2) neck dissection. Nine patients underwent attempted surgical salvage with or without re-irradiation and 4 were successfully salvaged without major complications. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with neck failure after definitive therapy usually have poor outcomes, but salvage attempts may be successful in selected patients with an isolated neck recurrence.
BACKGROUND: The role of salvage neck dissection for isolated regional recurrences after definitive radiotherapy (RT) is ill-defined. METHODS: Five-hundred fifty patients were treated with RT for lymph node-positive head and neck cancer. RT consisted of a median dose of 74.4 Gy. Chemotherapy was administered in 133 patients (24%). Patients were followed for neck failure after planned neck dissection (n = 341) or observation (n = 209). Salvage therapy was offered to those with isolated neck recurrences. RESULTS: There were 54 (10%) failures in the neck at a median 3.7 months after RT (range, 0 to 17 months). Thirteen patients had isolated recurrences after receiving definitive RT with (n = 11) or without (n = 2) neck dissection. Nine patients underwent attempted surgical salvage with or without re-irradiation and 4 were successfully salvaged without major complications. CONCLUSIONS:Patients with neck failure after definitive therapy usually have poor outcomes, but salvage attempts may be successful in selected patients with an isolated neck recurrence.
Authors: Peter A Paximadis; Michael E Christensen; Greg Dyson; Dev P Kamdar; Ammar Sukari; Ho-Sheng Lin; George H Yoo; Harold E Kim Journal: Head Neck Date: 2012-02-06 Impact factor: 3.147
Authors: Jason Y K Chan; Giuseppe Sanguineti; Jeremy D Richmon; Shanthi Marur; Christine G Gourin; Wayne Koch; Christine H Chung; Harry Quon; Justin A Bishop; Nafi Aygun; Nishant Agrawal Journal: Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg Date: 2012-11
Authors: A Relic; M Scheich; J Stapf; C Voelter; F Hoppe; R Hagen; L Pfreundner Journal: Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol Date: 2009-03-14 Impact factor: 2.503