Efficacy of neoadjuvant cetuximab alone or with platinum salt for the treatment of unresectable advanced nonmetastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: Refractory locally advanced or metastatic nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is a frequent therapeutic impasse. OBJECTIVES: To address the question of the efficacy of induction therapy with cetuximab as neoadjuvant treatment for locally advanced NMSC. METHODS: From 2008 to 2013, all patients with a diagnosis of unresectable locally advanced skin squamous cell carcinoma were treated with neoadjuvant cetuximab alone (CM) or combined with a platinum salt and 5-fluorouracil (CC). Resectability, and clinical and pathological response, as well as relapse-free and overall survival were evaluated. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients, with a median age of 74·5 years, were evaluated. Twenty-five patients received CC. After three cycles of CC, 23 of 25 patients whose tumours were initially unresectable became amenable to surgery (92%). A complete histological response was observed in 15 (65%) patients. The mean progression-free and mean overall survival in operated patients were 8·5 and 26·0 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There was a good response in terms of resectability and tumour control in the majority of patients, with few relapses, despite the initially poor prognosis of these tumours in this elderly group of patients. However, this therapeutic strategy needs to be validated in a prospective, randomized study.

[Tumour regression is not predictive for higher risk of sentinel node involvement in thin melanomas (Breslow thickness < or = 1 mm)]. / La régression tumorale n'est pas un facteur de risque d'atteinte du ganglion sentinelle dans les mélanomes fins (indice de Breslow < or = 1 mm).

BACKGROUND: Thin melanomas (Breslow thickness < or = 1 mm) are considered highly curable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between histological tumour regression and sentinel lymph node (SLN) involvement in thin melanomas. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective single-centre study of 34 patients with thin melanomas undergoing SLN biopsy between April 1998 and January 2005. RESULTS: The study included 14 women and 20 men of mean age 56.3 years. Melanomas were located on the neck (n=3), soles (n=4), trunk (n=13) and extremities (n=14). Pathological examination showed 25 SSM, four acral lentiginous melanomas, three in situ melanomas, one nodular melanoma and one unclassified melanoma with a mean Breslow thickness of 0.57 mm. Histological tumour regression was observed in 26 over 34 cases and ulceration was found in one case. Clark levels were as follows: I (n=3), II (n=20), III (n=9), IV (n=2). Growth phase was available in 15 cases (seven radial and eight vertical). Mitotic rates, available in 24 cases, were: 0 (n=9), 1 (n=11), 2 (n=2), 3 (n=1), 6 (n=1). One patient with histological tumour regression (2.9% of cases and 3.8% of cases with regressing tumours) had a metastatic SLN. One patient negative for SLN had a lung relapse and died of the disease. Mean follow-up was 26.2 months. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study and the analysis of the literature show that histological regression of the primary tumour does not seem predictive of higher risk of SLN involvement in thin melanomas. This suggests that screening for SLN is not indicated in thin melanomas, even those with histological regression.

Joint practice guidelines for radionuclide lymphoscintigraphy for sentinel node localization in oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Involvement of the cervical lymph nodes is the most important prognostic factor for patients with oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and the decision of whether to electively treat patients with clinically negative necks remains a controversial topic. Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) provides a minimally invasive method for determining the disease status of the cervical node basin, without the need for a formal neck dissection. This technique potentially improves the accuracy of histologic nodal staging and avoids overtreating three-quarters of this patient population, minimizing associated morbidity. The technique has been validated for patients with OSCC, and larger-scale studies are in progress to determine its exact role in the management of this patient population. This document is designed to outline the current best practice guidelines for the provision of SNB in patients with early-stage OSCC, and to provide a framework for the currently evolving recommendations for its use. Preparation of this guideline was carried out by a multidisciplinary surgical/nuclear medicine/pathology expert panel under the joint auspices of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) Oncology Committee and the Sentinel European Node Trial (SENT) Committee.

[The musculo-mucosal facial artery flap: harvesting technique and indications]. / Le lambeau musculomuqueux de buccinateur pédiculé sur l'artère faciale : technique de prélèvement et indications.

OBJECTIVES: Describe the anatomy and the harvesting technique of the facial artery musculo-mucosal flap (FAMM) and precise its indications in head and neck reconstruction. METHODS: Retrospective review of our experience and review of the literature. RESULTS: Described by Pribaz et al. [Plast Reconstr Surg 90 (1992) 421-9] in 1992, the FAMM flap relies on the facial artery and can be used with a superior or inferior base depending on the deficit to be reconstructed. Venous drainage is usually assured by buccal plexus veinules instead of the facial vein. In our experience, the FAMM flap has been used mainly for limited soft tissue defects of the oral cavity following cancer ablation. Other indications were coverage of oropharyngeal, intranasal and orbital defects. The FAMM flap has also been used to treat mandibular osteoradionecrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Harvesting of the FAMM flap is easy and safe. This flap shows versatility in head and neck reconstruction.

Sentinel node biopsy in early oral squamous cell carcinomas: Long-term follow-up and nodal failure analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the reliability of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) in T1/T2 cN0 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and compare recurrence-free time (RFT) and overall survival (OS) between patients undergoing SNB and neck dissection (ND). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with T1/T2 cN0 OSCC underwent SNB followed by systematic ND in the first cohort and SNB followed by selective ND in case of positive sentinel nodes (SN) in the second cohort. RESULTS: A total of 229 patients were followed (first cohort 50, second cohort 179). SNs were successfully detected in 93.9% (215/229) of cases. Median follow-up was 5.6 years. Recurrence occurred in 38/215 patients, with isolated nodal recurrence in 18/215 patients. At 5 years, the rate of recurrence-free patients was 80.0% and the rate of patients without isolated nodal recurrence was 90.4%. Negative predictive value of SNB was 92.7%. No statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding RFT and OS. In 83% (10/12) of ipsilateral isolated nodal recurrences, primary tumor was located in anterior part of oral cavity. Only 43% (3/7) of SN+ patients with nodal recurrence were eligible for salvage surgery, compared to 91% (10/11) of SN- patients. SNB resulted in fewer complications than ND (8% vs 28%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: SNB is a reliable staging tool for T1/T2 cN0 OSCC, without adverse effect on patient survival and fewer complications. No late recurrences occurred in long-term follow-up. Close follow-up is mandatory for SN+ patients, who are at higher risk of nodal recurrence and have worse prognosis.

[Role and perspectives of sentinel node biopsy in head and neck tumors]. / Place et perspectives du ganglion sentinelle dans les tumeurs des voies aérodigestives supérieures.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy of sentinel node biopsy for assessing the neck status for those patients with squamous cell carcinoma T1T2N0 of oral cavity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 55 patients were included in a prospective study between 2000 and 2003. 53 underwent a sentinel node biopsy (SNB) followed by an elective neck dissection (END). Pathological examination with stepped serial sectioning and immunohistochemistry of sentinel node (SN) has been compared with routine pathology examination of remaining END nodes. RESULTS: 12 patients had a positive SN. No false negative was found. Patient follow up on, at less of 3 years, did not show any node recurrence for those patients with negative SN. After that study, 44 patients had a SNB without END. 7 patients had a positive SN. Follow up showed a node recurrence for 3 patients. In two of these, pathological reexamination showed a micrometastase in SN. SN failure rate is less than 3% for those 99 patients. CONCLUSION: SNB is a liable procedure. Failure rate is the same as in END. We plan to use this procedure in orophyngeal tumors where it could be possible to reduce irradiation fields and treatment sequels for those patients with negative SN.

[Clinical and genetic study in 22 patients with basal cell nevus syndrome]. / Etude clinique et recherche de mutations germinales du gène PTCH 1 dans le syndrome des hamartomes basocellulaires.

BACKGROUND: Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by developmental abnormalities and cancer predisposition. The PTCH 1 gene, the human homolog of the Drosophila segment polarity gene patched, has been shown to be involved in the development of nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome. PTCH 1 is mapped to chromosome 9q22.3. The aim of the present study was to report on clinical and genetic characteristics in patients followed for nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome and to compare them to the data in the literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Screening for PTCH 1 mutations was done in 22 patients followed between 1981 and 2003 for clinical suspicion of nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome. Clinical and radiological data were reviewed retrospectively from records. Genetic analysis was performed using blood samples after patient informed consent was obtained. When possible, DNA was also analyzed from the parents of patients in whom PTCH 1 mutations were found. RESULTS: All patients had developed basal cell carcinomas: 45% palmar and plantar pitting, 62% jaw cysts and 66% calcification of falx cerebri. Medulloblastomas and meningiomas were the most common associated tumors. PTCH 1 mutations were identified in 13 patients: 6 familial cases, 3 sporadic cases and for 4 patients, it was not possible to conclude. Nine different new germ-line mutations were identified. DISCUSSION: Genetic analysis allows molecular confirmation of diagnosis in about half of all patients. Early diagnosis is essential for detection of clinical and radiological manifestations in young patients and for provision of advice concerning protection of the skin from the sunlight.

Full-dose reirradiation for unresectable head and neck carcinoma: experience at the Gustave-Roussy Institute in a series of 169 patients.

PURPOSE: To review our experience using full-dose external reirradiation given with a curative intent for patients with unresectable head and neck carcinoma (HNC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 1980 and December 1996, 169 patients who presented with unresectable nonmetastatic HNC in a previously irradiated area were included in this series. The median time between the first and the second irradiation was 33 months. Reirradiation protocols were as follows: radiotherapy alone (65 Gy over 6.5 weeks at 2 Gy/d), 27 patients; Vokes protocol, ie, five to six cycles of radiotherapy (median total dose, 60 Gy; 2 Gy/d) with simultaneous fluorouracil (5-FU) and hydroxyurea, 106 patients; and bifractionated radiotherapy (median total dose, 60 Gy; 2 x 1.5 Gy/d) with concomitant mitomycin, 5-FU, and cisplatin, 36 patients. The median cumulative dose of the two irradiations was 120 Gy. Eighty-five percent of the tumors were squamous cell carcinoma, 14% undifferentiated carcinoma of nasopharyngeal type, and 1% adenocarcinoma. Forty-four percent were local recurrences, 23% nodal recurrences, 14% both local and nodal, and 19% second primary tumors. RESULTS: Mucositis grade 3 (World Health Organization [WHO]) was found in 32% and grade 4 in 14% of cases. Four patients presented with neutropenia or thrombocytopenia (grade 3 or 4 WHO). Late toxicities (> 6 months) were as follows: cervical fibrosis (grade 2 to 3 Radiation Therapy Oncology Group [RTOG]), 41%; mucosal necrosis, 21%; osteoradionecrosis, 8%; and trismus, 30%. Five patients died of carotid hemorrhage, apparently in complete remission. Six months after the onset of reirradiation, 37% of patients were in complete response. Patterns of failure were local only (53%), nodal only (20%), metastatic only (7%), and multiple (20%). Median follow-up time was 70 months. Overall survival rate (Kaplan-Meier) was 21% (95% confidence interval [CI], 15% to 29%) at 2 years and 9% (95% CI, 5% to 16%) at 5 years. Median survival time was 10 months for the entire population. Thirteen patients, of whom 12 were treated with the Vokes protocol, were long-term disease-free survivors. In a multivariate analysis, the volume of the second irradiation was the only factor significantly associated with the risk of death: relative risk=1.8 (95% CI, 1.13 to 5.7) (P=.01). CONCLUSION: Full-dose reirradiation combined with chemotherapy was feasible in patients with inoperable HNC. The incidence and severity of late toxicity was markedly increased in comparison to that observed after the first irradiation. Median survival was better than that generally obtained using palliative chemotherapy alone. A small proportion of patients were long-term disease-free survivors.

Radiotherapy alone for oropharyngeal carcinomas: the role of fraction size (2 Gy vs 2.5 Gy) on local control and early and late complications.

This retrospective study involved 150 patients treated for oropharyngeal carcinoma by external radiotherapy alone at the Institut Gustave-Roussy. The midplane tumor dose was 70 Gy delivered in 7 weeks. During 1981, 63 patients were treated with 5 fractions (5 F) of 2 Gy per week. The following year, 87 patients, were treated with 4 fractions (4 F) of 2.5 Gy per week. Prognostic factors were equally distributed in both groups. The locoregional tumor control was 83% for the 4 F patients and 83% for the 5 F patients. Degree and incidence of acute reactions with both fractionation regimens were similar. Necrosis of the oropharyngeal mucosa and trismus were significantly more severe and more frequent in the 4 F group (23% and 20% respectively) than in the 5 F group (10% and 5% respectively) (p = 0.03 and p = 0.01). Other late effects such as skin necrosis (6% in the 4 F group versus 0% in the 5 F group) and severe cervical sclerosis (12 vs 5%) were also more frequent in the 4 F group than in the 5 F group but the difference was not significant. The results suggest a greater sensitivity of late compared to early normal tissue effects and of tumor response to an increase in dose per fraction (from 2 Gy to 2.5 Gy) in oropharyngeal carcinoma.

External irradiation plus curietherapy boost in 108 base of tongue carcinomas.

From 1960 to 1983, 108 patients underwent an association cobaltherapy plus curietherapy boost for a base of tongue carcinoma. This group included 18 T1 tumors, 39 T2, and 51 T3. Cobaltherapy was delivered to a dose of 45 Gy/4.5 weeks to the primary site and the neck. It was completed by an electron boost or a nodal surgery in case of initial nodal disease. Two techniques of Curietherapy were used: plastic tubes and guide-gutters. As most of these implants have been done before 1975, all the doses have been recalculated on the 85% isodose according to the Paris system. They varied from 22 to 88 Gy. The tolerance of the implantation was excellent. Five-year survival of the whole group is 26%. The local control rate is 85% for T1 tumors, 50% for T2, and 69% for T3. Despite the importance of cumulated doses, a few necrosis were observed. Considering the poor outlook of this cancer, its treatment by exclusive radiotherapy requires very high doses which can only be delivered without major sequellae or complication by a combination of cobaltherapy and curietherapy boost.

Radiologic assessment of intranodal vascularity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Correlation with histologic vascular density.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Nodal response to chemotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma depends on the vascularization. The authors assessed different techniques in detecting nodal vascularization. METHODS: Fourteen patients with head and neck tumor were included before surgical treatment. The largest metastatic lymph node (mean axial scanographic diameters 30 x 20 mm) was studied by color and pulsed Doppler, and dynamic magnetic resonance images, processed by factor analysis of medical image sequences (FAMIS), which estimates physiologic contrast enhancement kinetics (factors) and their spatial distributions (factor images). Results were compared with the histologic microvessel density (MVD). Using light microscopy, MVD was estimated by the vascular surface (by staining endothelial cells) to the stroma surface ratio x 100. RESULTS: Three factors were identified by FAMIS: a constant factor in necrosis, an earlier F1 factor and a later F2 factor in normal lymphoid areas and neoplastic stroma. Color flow signal was detected when the MVD was greater than 6.36. CONCLUSIONS: Only one model of vascularization was extracted by FAMIS, with no difference between neoplastic and spared lymphoid areas. The presence of color-flow signals could help predict the response of metastatic lymph nodes to chemotherapy.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the pyriform sinus: retrospective study of 351 cases treated at the Institut Gustave-Roussy.

The first part of the study was devoted to 199 tumors treated by surgery, either conservative for the smallest tumors (18 cases) or radical (181 cases), with systematic postoperative radiotherapy. The 3-year survival rate was 48% and the 5-year, 33%, with a 12% local recurrence rate, a 7.5% neck recurrence rate, and 27.6% rate distant metastases. Histologic correlations were developed. The second part of the study reported 152 cases treated by external radiotherapy alone either as a variant of our treatment protocol for the small-sized tumors (31 cases) or, for the major part (121 cases), as a result of surgical inoperability or patient refusal. The former subgroup had a variable survival rate (65% at 3 years and 40% at 5 years) equivalent to similarly staged patients treated with conservation laryngeal surgery, whereas the prognosis of the latter subgroup was poor. The two main causes of failure were the inability to apply the curative treatment protocol in 35% of patients ineligible for a surgery and the high risk of distant metastases in the 65% of patients able to undergo the usual management.

Selective neck dissection and sentinel node biopsy in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

The Sentinel Node concept is now well established for HNSCC and gives us a strong basis to treat patients with N0 neck where the rate of occult node metastasis is high. At the present time, the most accurate method for staging N0 neck is pathologic examination of the neck content. In this way, sentinel node dissection (SND) and sentinel node biopsy (SNB) are complementary surgical procedures. SNB has limited indications in HNSCC because of the inaccessibility of most of the primary sites to local injection of Tc99m colloid. However it seems to be an encouraging approach for small tumors of the oral cavity. In other primary sites, except for small glottic tumors, patients must undergo an SND. Supraomohyoid neck dissection which removes levels I, II and III, is performed in oral cavity tumors. Lateral neck dissection which removes levels II, III and IV, is used by many authors for laryngeal, oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal tumors. In our experience, SND could be limited to levels II and III for laryngeal and oropharyngeal tumors without more neck failures. SND is a reliable procedure, we report only 1.5% of skip nodal metastases in 464 patients who had this staging procedure.

Synovial sarcoma of the head and neck: an account of four cases and review of the literature.

Four cases of Malignant Synovioma of the head and neck are reported. It is a rare tumour with only 76 published cases in the world literature. Study of these 76 cases allows identification of the clinical features of this tumour and also highlights the problems of histological diagnosis. The study shows that the most effective treatment is radical primary surgery in association with post-operative radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Surgical salvage treatment of T1/T2 glottic carcinoma after failure of radiotherapy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of conservative surgical salvage techniques (eg, vertical partial laryngectomy and subtotal laryngectomy with cricohyoidopexy) versus total laryngectomy for radiotherapeutic failure of early glottic cancer by retrospective review of medical records. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Of 950 previously untreated endolaryngeal carcinomas managed at the Gustave-Roussy Institute in France between 1975 and 1984, 259 of 344 early glottic cancers (T1, N0 and T2, N0) received radiation therapy. Local failure rates were 14% in T1a cancers, 16% in T1b cancers, and 36% in T2 cancers with normal vocal-cord mobility. RESULTS: Nine of 54 patients with treatment failure were ineligible for salvage surgery. Among the remaining 45 patients, 35 underwent a total laryngectomy; these patients had a 77% 5-year survival rate. Ten patients treated with partial surgery (6 vertical partial laryngectomies and 4 subtotal laryngectomies with cricohyoidopexy) had a 100% survival rate at 5 years. Seven of the 10 patients treated with partial surgery had healing problems that delayed canula and nasogastric tube removal for 30 to 60 days. CONCLUSIONS: Salvage surgery is effective for radiotherapeutic failures of early glottic cancers. In some cases, partial surgery can be performed with good tumor control and satisfactory laryngeal functions. Subtotal laryngectomy is an alternative to total laryngectomy if vertical partial surgery is not suitable.

Lymph node prognostic factors in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: This retrospective study included 914 patients who underwent a lymph node dissection at our institute between 1980 and 1985. The primary tumor sites were oral cavity, 287; hypopharynx, 249; larynx, 247; and oropharynx, 131. PATIENTS AND METHODS: On the basis of anatomic considerations, the sentinel nodes for well-lateralized oral cavity tumors were defined as homolateral levels I, II, and III; for oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal, and laryngeal tumors, the sentinel nodes were defined as levels II and III. We took into account the ipsilateral side of the neck for well-lateralized tumors, and both sides for medium or large tumors. For clinically positive nodes of more than 3 cm, a radical neck dissection was performed. Other patients underwent a selective neck dissection on sentinel nodes, with immediate pathologic evaluation. Modified radical neck dissections with contralateral selective dissection were performed when frozen sections were positive. Patients with positive nodes were given postoperative radiotherapy. RESULTS: The prognostic factors studied, using the Cox survival model adjusted on the primary tumor site, surprisingly showed a nonsignificant value for extracapsular spread (P = 0.09), and a significant value for the number of positive nodes (P < 0.001) and for the positive node in or out of the sentinel node sites (P < 0.001). Although the node location factor can be used instead of positive node in or out of the sentinel node site, it has a less significant prognostic value. CONCLUSIONS: The most significant prognostic factors are the site of the positive node in or out of the sentinel node and the number of positive nodes; and a more accurate approach can be obtained by combining both factors. Node location in the upper or lower neck remains a substitute prognostic factor for the site of the positive node in or out of the sentinel node.

Multiple synchronous and metachronous cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract: a nine-year study.

This retrospective study was based on 9,089 patients and includes 855 cases (9.4%) of multiple primary cancers treated between 1975 and 1983. Three hundred fifty (42.1%) of these multiple cancers were considered synchronous, while 480 (57.9%) were classified as metachronous. Fifty percent of the metachronous cancers occurred within 31 months after the first primary; the mean time between the first primary and the second primary was 45 months. Approximately 22% of second primaries were found more than 5 years after the initial tumor. Five-year survival rates were higher in metachronous cancers (55%) than in synchronous cancers (18%). Survival rates varied according to the treatment. In 49.4% of synchronous tumors the treatment had to be modified because of the presence of two cancers. In these patients, 5-year survival rates were as low as 8%. In synchronous cancers that required no modification of the treatment, the prognosis was better and the survival rate was 28%. The preferential anatomical location of the second synchronous and metachronous cancers is discussed for first primaries situated in the oral cavity (103 cases), the oropharynx (120 cases), the hypopharynx (92 cases), and the larynx (87 cases). Second primaries in the esophagus were mostly synchronous cancers while, in the lung, second cancers were more frequently metachronous tumors.

Salvage surgery by composite resection for epidermoid carcinoma of the tonsillar region.

Radiation therapy has usually been used as the primary treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the posterior aspect of the oral cavity and the lateral aspect of the oropharyngeal walls. However, local failure occurs in a certain number of cases, depending on the initial tumor stage. One hundred thirty-four composite resections (transmaxillary buccopharyngectomies) have been performed as a salvage treatment at the Institut Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif, France, from January 1, 1976, through December 31, 1985, for local failure of epidermoid carcinomas treated initially by radiotherapy. Average time between primary irradiation and salvage surgery was 18 months. Most of the patients underwent some kind of supraomohyoid neck dissection. A myocutaneous flap was used in 18% of cases, which significantly reduced the rate of local complications. The nasogastric tube and the tracheostomy cannula were removed after a median delay of 23 days and 24 days, respectively. Early postoperative local complications occurred in 45% of cases; most of them were minor. A new locoregional recurrence occurred in approximately half of the patients and was usually fatal. Overall survival after salvage surgery was 34% at 3 years and 23% at 5 years. The only statistically significant prognostic factor was the adequacy of surgical margins.

Airway obstruction and high-frequency jet ventilation during laryngoscopy.

High-frequency jet ventilation has been reported as an effective method of ventilation during laryngoscopy, but may expose the patient to the risks of barotrauma or alveolar hypoventilation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the determining factors of pulmonary complications under high-frequency jet ventilation in 83 patients undergoing laryngoscopy for upper airway cancer. Pulmonary distention was mainly influenced by upper airway obstruction score (p = .0001), while patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) did not suffer from gas trapping. Impaired gas exchange was predicted by increased weight (p = .0001), smaller injector diameter (p = .02), and lower airway obstruction (p = .001). Hypercapnia occurred in both upper and lower airway obstruction, while hypoxemia was principally observed in COPD patients. Emphasis is placed on monitoring by pulse oximetry, end-expiratory pressure, and PCO2 measurement, especially in patients with obesity, COPD, or upper airway obstruction.

[Synchronous cancers of the esophagus and of the ORL area: results of combined treatments with esophagectomy (28 cases)]. / Cancers synchrones de l'oesophage et de la sphère ORL: résultats des traitements combinés avec oesophagectomie (28 cas).

Twenty-eight patients with synchronous esophageal and head and neck epidermoid cancers have been treated by a combined protocol including esophagectomy. Seventy-nine percent received pre-operative chemotherapy, 50% had resection of the head and neck lesion at the same time as the esophagectomy and 79% received post-operative irradiation. Two patients died during the post-operative period (7%), and 1, 2 and 3-yr survival rate (Kaplan-Meier) was respectively 64, 32 and 27%. Contrary to our initial assumption, there was no significant decrease in survival compared to patients operated on for an isolated esophageal cancer. The patients were divided into 4 very simple prognostic groups based on the T and N stages of the clinical pre-therapeutic TNM classification: T1 or T2 for esophageal lesions and different T or N stages according to the prognosis for head and neck lesions. A study of each group tended to show that esophagectomy was beneficial except in cases of synchronous T2 esophageal cancer and locally advanced head and neck cancer (there was 2-yr survival in this group). The 28 patients studied represent a particular population which presented 91 cancerous localisations during the duration of the study (mean: 3.25 localisations per patient).