Carcinoma of the base of the tongue: results of radical irradiation with surgery reserved for irradiation failure.

Between 1964 and 1977, 95 previously untreated patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue received treatment with curative intent at the University of Florida. Eighty-six of the 95 patients (91%) had Stage III or IV disease at presentation. Eighty-nine patients received radical courses of irradiation to the primary with or without neck dissection(s), with surgery reserved for salvage of irradiation failure. Six patients underwent planned combined treatment of the primary lesion. Of the 89 patients whose primary lesions were radically irradiated, failure at the primary site occurred in 24% of those with T1-3 lesions and 78% with T4 lesions. Control results were related to irradiation treatment technique. None of the 9 patients with Stage I-II disease died of the cancer. Actuarial survival at 5 years for Stage III patients was 46%. Within the Stage IV population there is a subgroup of patients with highly treatable and curable disease. The addition of a neck dissection following irradiation of N2-N3 neck disease decreased the incidence of failure in the neck. No patient developed severe soft tissue necrosis or required mandibulectomy for bone exposure following irradiation.