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Neck dissection after twice‐a‐day radiotherapy: Morbidity and recurrence rates
Author(s) -
Parsons James T.,
Mendenhall William M.,
Cassisi Nicholas J.,
Stringer Scott P.,
Million Rodney R.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.2880110504
Subject(s) - medicine , radiation therapy , surgery , neck dissection , dissection (medical) , cancer
Between March 1978 and April 1986, 56 patients underwent planned unilateral, and five patients underwent planned bilateral, radical neck dissections following high‐dose twice‐a‐day radiotherapy, usually with 60 Co. Neck dissections were generally performed 6 weeks after radiotherapy. The overall rate of control of disease in the neck in all 61 patients was 81% at 5 years. Patients who underwent neck dissections following radiotherapy had significantly higher rates of heck‐disease control than patients treated by radiotherapy alone during the same time period for stages N2A‐N3A and N2B‐N3B, but not for N1 disease. No carotid ruptures or fatal complications occurred. The rate of wound complications was judged to be acceptable.