Results and prognostic factors in salvage surgery for squamous carcinomas of the tongue.

Fifty-six patients who had undergone salvage surgery for residual or recurrent squamous carcinomas of the tongue between 1967 and 1977 were reviewed. Failure to obtain operative clearance led to certain local recurrence. The tongue or cervical lymph nodes were involved in 27 of the 28 patients who died with recurrent tumour. The overall age-corrected actuarial postoperative survival was 45.1 per cent at 2 years and 35.3 per cent at 5 years. Survival was reduced in women and patients aged over 60 years at operation, and in patients whose tumors were at first biopsy moderately or poorly differentiated, classified as stage III or IV at initial presentation or preoperatively, or recurred within 6 months of completing primary treatment.