SURGEON LOOKS AT RECURRENCES AFTER UNSUCCESSFUL RADIATION-THERAPY

The authors conclude that patients with recurrent laryngeal cancer and those with T1 and T2 lesions of the oropharynx, oral cavity, and hypopharynx are definitely candidates for surgical treatment. On the other hand, surgery for T3 and T4 cancers offers only moderate hope of success. Patients who do least well are those with T4 staged cancer of the oropharynx, oral cavity, or hypopharynx. However, since the survival rates for patients with cancer at these three sites are 18% for T4 and 25% for T3, obiously one should not deny patients who are operable their right to live.