Long-term results of surgical treatment for advanced oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to review the oncologic and functional outcomes of patients with clinical stage III or IV squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oropharynx submitted to tumor resection and neck dissection with or without postoperative radiotherapy (PORT). We conducted a retrospective review of medical charts of 256 consecutive patients. Fatal postoperative complications were registered in 5 patients (1.9%). During follow-up, there were 74 local recurrences (29%), 27 neck recurrences (10.5%), and 19 distant metastases (7.4%). The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 43.0%. The Cox multivariate model identified pT3 and pT4, pN2 and pN3, and an intense lymphocytic infiltrate as independent prognostic markers for OS. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate was 54.5%. Surgical treatment for oropharyngeal carcinoma can be performed with a low-risk of postoperative mortality but with a risk of long-term use of tracheostomy and feeding tubes.