TREATMENT OF ADVANCED CANCER OF HEAD AND NECK WITH INTENSIVE PREOPERATIVE IRRADIATION AND RADICAL SURGERY

1. 1. A series is presented of forty-five patients with advanced cancer of the head and neck in whom radical surgery was performed after high dose-limited volume cobalt 60 irradiation. 2. 2. Preoperative irradiation did not produce significant interference in surgical technic or in postoperative wound healing. 3. 3. Preoperative irradiation was more successful in sterilizing advanced primary tumors than advanced cervical metastases. 4. 4. Combined treatment of advanced cancer of the larynx, pyriform sinus, antrum, and oral cavity achieved a high degree of control of the primary lesion. 5. 5. Combined treatment of predominantly advanced clinical neck metastases was moderately successful. © 1969.