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Preoperative x‐ray therapy as an adjunct to radical neck dissection
Author(s) -
Storng Elliott W.,
Henschke Ulrich K.,
Nickson James J.,
Frazell Edgar L.,
Tollefsen H. Randall,
Hilaris Basil S.
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(196611)19:11<1509::aid-cncr2820191108>3.0.co;2-b
Subject(s) - medicine , neck dissection , incidence (geometry) , surgery , radiation therapy , dissection (medical) , prospective cohort study , cancer , physics , optics
The incidence of cervical recurrence following radical neck dissection for cancer of the head and neck region is reported from various clinics to be 25 to 30%. In an attempt to reduce this high incidence, a controlled prospective study of the effect of preoperative radiation to the neck was established. Patients subjected to radical neck dissection for epidermoid cancer were included. Those born on odd‐numbered birthdays received 2,000 R to the entire neck in 5 equal treatments on successive days from Betatron or 60 Cobalt source. Those born on even‐numbered birthdays received no preoperative radiation and serve as controls. The surgery was carried out as soon as possible after the completion of the irradiation. A review of 5 years experience with the program reveals that this low dosage preoperative radiation had no demonstrable adverse effects on the operative procedure, the incidence of postoperative complications or the duration of postoperative hospitalization. The treated patients enjoyed a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of cervical recurrence, especially in those patients with histologically proven cervical nodal metastases where the difference between the treated and the control series was highly significant.