BACKGROUND: Controversy exists regarding the functional advantages of free flap reconstruction after partial glossectomy as compared to primary closure. METHODS: Forty patients were included in this retrospective analysis after resection of pT3 lateral tongue carcinomas. Twenty patients received a free forearm flap and 20 patients had a primary closure. All patients had adjuvant chemoradiation, were free of disease at least 1 year after therapy, and completed the German versions of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) questionnaires Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30-questions (QLQ-C30) and Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 Head and Neck 35-questions (QLQ-H&N35). RESULTS: Mean time between surgery and quality of life (QOL) assessment was 16.2 ± 3.4 months. The average resection was 41.60% (reconstruction) of the oral tongue, and 39.1% (primary closure). After reconstruction, patients had significantly (p > .05) fewer problems with the swallowing, speech, and social eating subdomains of the EORTC QLQ-H&N35. All other items showed no significant differences. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary results suggest that free flaps might be useful when treating pT3 tongue cancer.
BACKGROUND: Controversy exists regarding the functional advantages of free flap reconstruction after partial glossectomy as compared to primary closure. METHODS: Forty patients were included in this retrospective analysis after resection of pT3 lateral tongue carcinomas. Twenty patients received a free forearm flap and 20 patients had a primary closure. All patients had adjuvant chemoradiation, were free of disease at least 1 year after therapy, and completed the German versions of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) questionnaires Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30-questions (QLQ-C30) and Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 Head and Neck 35-questions (QLQ-H&N35). RESULTS: Mean time between surgery and quality of life (QOL) assessment was 16.2 ± 3.4 months. The average resection was 41.60% (reconstruction) of the oral tongue, and 39.1% (primary closure). After reconstruction, patients had significantly (p > .05) fewer problems with the swallowing, speech, and social eating subdomains of the EORTCQLQ-H&N35. All other items showed no significant differences. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary results suggest that free flaps might be useful when treating pT3tongue cancer.
Authors: Jennifer L Spiegel; Yiannis Pilavakis; Bernhard G Weiss; Martin Canis; Christian Welz Journal: Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol Date: 2019-05-27 Impact factor: 2.503
Authors: Benedicta E Beck-Broichsitter; Jörn Huck; Thomas Küchler; Daniela Hauke; Jürgen Hedderich; Jörg Wiltfang; Stephan T Becker Journal: J Cancer Res Clin Oncol Date: 2016-10-18 Impact factor: 4.553
Authors: J K Meier; J G Schuderer; F Zeman; Ch Klingelhöffer; M Hullmann; G Spanier; T E Reichert; T Ettl Journal: BMC Oral Health Date: 2019-04-27 Impact factor: 2.757