Floor of mouth carcinoma. The management of the clinically negative neck.

OBJECTIVES: Examine the management of the clinically negative neck and evaluate the role of elective neck dissection in patients with squamous carcinoma of the floor of the mouth. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of a cohort of patients with squamous carcinoma of the floor of the mouth and N0 stage disease of the neck who were treated between 1973 and 1992. The mean follow-up was 6 years. PATIENTS: The cohort consisted of 129 patients. Excluded from analysis were patients without evidence of disease but less than 3 years of follow-up and those with uncertain resection margins. INTERVENTION: Resection of the floor of the mouth lesion with or without marginal mandibulectomy. Elective lymphadenectomy was performed in 26 (23%) of the 129 patients. OUTCOME MEASURE: Estimates were obtained of survival according to mode of therapy, classification of treatment modality, determinate cure, locoregional failure, salvage, and occult disease by clinical stage. RESULTS: Occult disease was detected in 23% of the patients who underwent elective neck dissection. Recurrence in the neck occurred in 36% of 103 patients who received follow-up but did not undergo elective neck dissection. The determinate survival at 3 years was 100% for patients with occult disease who underwent elective neck dissection. Overall, 96% of the patients who were treated with elective neck dissection were cured; 85% of the patients who received no initial treatment of the neck were cured; and 59% of the patients with failure in the neck were salvaged. CONCLUSIONS: A more aggressive approach to the neck with N0 disease may be warranted. Selective neck dissection allows early removal of occult metastases with acceptable morbidity. In elective dissection for clinically and histologically negative necks, the high rate of survival may result from the removal of metastatic carcinoma that was missed in the histopathologic sampling process.

T3 glottic carcinoma revisited. Transglottic vs pure glottic carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To compare results of treatment of patients who have T3 transglottic carcinoma with patients who have T3 pure glottic carcinoma. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study from January 1976 to December 1990 with a minimum 2-year follow-up. SETTING: Eye and Ear Hospital, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. PATIENTS: The medical records of 161 patients with T3 glottic carcinoma were reviewed. We excluded 17 patients who were unavailable for follow-up or who had died of other causes but were free of glottic carcinoma. Therefore, 144 patients were entered into this study--79 patients with transglottic carcinoma and 65 with pure glottic carcinoma. INTERVENTION: Three treatment groups consisted of the following: 30 patients in whom a full course of radiation therapy failed and who subsequently underwent salvage surgery; 92 patients who underwent surgery only; and 22 patients who underwent surgery and had postoperative radiation therapy. Seventy-five patients had total laryngectomy, and 69 had total laryngectomy with neck dissection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cervical metastasis, extracapsular spread, local failure, stomal recurrence, distant metastasis, and 2 years with no evidence of disease. RESULTS: Patients with T3 transglottic carcinoma had a higher incidence of occult cervical metastasis (12% vs 9%), overall cervical metastasis (27% vs 17%), and extracapsular spread (43% vs 27%) than did patients with T3 pure glottic carcinoma. Two years of no disease was similar in these two groups (80% vs 79%). Extracapsular spread had a notable effect on distant metastasis and on 2 years of no disease. CONCLUSION: Patients with T3 transglottic carcinoma had a higher incidence of cervical metastasis and extracapsular spread than patients with T3 pure glottic carcinoma. Every patient with T3 transglottic carcinoma should be treated with total laryngectomy with neck dissection.

The impact of bilateral neck dissection on pattern of recurrence and survival in supraglottic carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The findings of an initial evaluation of 202 patients treated for squamous cell carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx have been previously reported. Recurrent disease was observed at the primary site in four patients (2%), in the regional lymphatics in 39 patients (20%), and at distant sites in 24 patients (12%). Critical analysis of patients who demonstrated recurrent disease in the cervical lymphatics indicated that 38 of 39 recurrences developed in nonsurgically treated necks irrespective of the use of postoperative radiation therapy. Accordingly, all patients with supraglottic carcinoma have been treated with routine bilateral neck dissection since that time. We have reviewed our data to determine if bilateral neck dissections deter recurrence and improves survival. DESIGN: A retrospective review of the clinical course of 76 patients undergoing excision of supraglottic squamous carcinoma combined with bilateral neck dissection between 1980 and 1990 was performed to determine survival and recurrence rates. Surgery alone was used to treat 32 patients, while 44 patients were treated with surgery plus adjunctive therapy. SETTING: Department of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, The Eye and Ear Institute, University of Pittsburgh (Pa) School of Medicine. RESULTS: Distant metastatic spread was the most frequent site of failure, occurring in nine (11.8%) of 76 patients. Local recurrence was experienced by two patients (1%). The incidence of cervical recurrence (seven patients, 9.2%) following treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx has been reduced from 20% to 9% through the use of bilateral neck dissection. The 2-year survival rate increased from 72% to 76%. CONCLUSION: Routine bilateral neck dissection is beneficial in the surgical management of squamous cell carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx.

The effect of postoperative radiation therapy on pharyngoesophageal reconstruction with free jejunal interposition.

Free tissue transfer of a jejunal segment was undertaken for laryngopharyngoesophageal reconstruction in 20 patients who received postoperative irradiation therapy. Treatment consisted of 1.8- to 2-Gy-fractions, the average total dose was 55.57 Gy (range, 40 to 66 Gy). Anastomotic strictures (six) were encountered early in the series and associated with stapled anastomoses. Hand-sewing the jejunoesophagostomy eliminated the problem. Enteric cutaneous fistula, bowel necrosis, and hemorrhagic enteritis were not observed. We conclude that the application of postoperative irradiation therapy to patients requiring jejunal interposition grafts is feasible.

The surgical management of chronic parotitis.

Chronic parotitis is a disorder characterized by recurrent painful swelling of the gland with purulent sialorrhea. Occasionally, the condition fails to respond to medical management and definitive surgical therapy is necessary. Sialolithiasis is the usual etiology in cases of parotitis, although occasionally severe recurrent parotid infections are superimposed on underlying Sjögren's disease. Total parotidectomy with facial nerve dissection has been used in such cases in our department and has proved to be an excellent way to manage this disease. A summary of our results indicate that the recurring infections were eradicated and that the complication rate is tolerable, considering the magnitude of the problem. We feel that it is better to use surgical management early rather than wait for the formation of fistulae or abscesses.

Stomal recurrence after laryngectomy: interrelated risk factor study.

This study was designed to identify pathogenic factors in recurrent carcinoma at the tracheal stoma. The charts of 444 patients with laryngeal cancer who were treated surgically between 1976 and 1988 revealed stomal recurrence in 15 (3.4%). Eighty percent of the patients with stomal recurrence had tumors in the subglottis. In comparison to patients with different sites involved this was significant (p less than 0.001). Other variables examined and analyzed included primary stage, previous treatment, neck pathologic status, neck treatment, age, sex, postoperative adjunctive therapy, and timing of tracheotomy. Tumor involvement of the subglottis is the single most important variable in stomal recurrence of carcinoma. Previous conservation laryngeal surgery and preoperative/emergency tracheotomy are not related to stomal recurrence of carcinoma. Mean length of survival for patients with stomal recurrence of carcinoma in our series was 8.9 months. Two patients were successfully treated with extensive surgical resection. The dismal prognosis of stomal recurrence of carcinoma suggests that management of this condition should focus on prevention. Treatment of patients with tumors of the subglottis should include attention to the paratracheal region and superior mediastinum, in conjunction with laryngectomy immediately after initial diagnosis.

Hearing loss--risk factor for cisplatin ototoxicity? Observations.

Ototoxicity associated with cisplatin chemotherapy is well established, but opinion is split regarding the relative risk associated with preexisting hearing loss. The emerging consensus is that pretreatment loss does not increase the risk of cisplatin ototoxicity. Results from a preliminary study of a small sample from our patient population supports this consensus.

Reconstruction of the cervical esophagus: free jejunal transfer versus gastric pull-up.

Use of enteric grafts is a popular method for reconstruction of the cervical esophagus and hypopharynx. Free jejunal transfer (FJT) and gastric pull-up (GP) are the most popular methods used. This discussion is a retrospective review of our experience with 50 cases of free jejunal transfer and 15 cases of gastric pull-up. The graft survival rate was 94 percent (47 of 50) for free jejunal transfer and 87 percent (13 of 15) for gastric pull-up. Successful swallowing was achieved in 88 percent (44 of 50) of free jejunal transfers and 87 percent (13 of 15) of gastric pull-ups. Patients with free jejunal transfers were able to swallow and leave the hospital sooner: 10.6 versus 16.0 days and 22.3 versus 29.0 days, respectively. Fistulas occurred in 16 percent (8 of 50) of free jejunal transfers, most of which (6 of 8) healed spontaneously. Fistulas occurred in 20 percent (3 of 15) of gastric pull-ups, only one of which healed spontaneously. Stricture was the most common late complication for free jejunal transfers, 22 percent (11 of 50), whereas reflux was most common in gastric pull-ups, 20 percent (3 of 15). In patients with advanced cancer, extensive esophageal resection into the chest is often required, and gastric pull-up seems to be an easier and more direct form of reconstruction. In limited resection of the hypopharynx and esophagus, especially with proximal lesions, free jejunal transfer is simpler and avoids mediastinal dissection. This concept as well as other advantages and disadvantages of both techniques will be discussed.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory meatus (canal).

A retrospective study of 35 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory meatus treated at the Eye and Ear Hospital of the University of Pittsburgh was performed. The standard treatment was a temporal bone resection that corresponded to the extent of the lesion, followed by postoperative radiation therapy. The tumor extensions, symptoms, treatments, survival rates, and prognostic variables were reviewed. Overall, 12 of 35 patients survived. Lesions limited to the external auditory meatus with no erosion had excellent prognoses. Survival in intermediate lesions with bony erosion or middle ear involvement was related to the status of surgical margins after partial or subtotal temporal bone resections. Extensive lesions that involved the surrounding soft tissue or dura had poor prognoses. The survival value of total temporal bone resection remains unproved.

The role of hemilaryngectomy in the management of T1 vocal cord cancer.

A retrospective study was undertaken to assess the outcome of 54 patients who have elected to undergo vertical hemilaryngectomy for T1, NO squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx. Fifty-one (94%) of 54 patients were cured with surgery alone. The voice was preserved in 52 (96%) of 54 patients. In the subgroup of patients who had received no prior radiation therapy, voice preservation was achieved in 98% of patients and ultimate control of disease with cure was achieved in 95%. These data substantiate the contention that vertical hemilaryngectomy offers better cure rates than external beam radiation therapy alone. Our data support the efficacy of hemilaryngectomy in T1, NO glottic carcinoma. These data question the traditional belief that surgery effects its success at the expense of voice preservation, whereas external beam radiation therapy does not.

Hypopharyngeal reconstruction: a comparison of two alternatives.

Gastric pull-up or free jejunal interposition was used for reconstruction after total laryngopharyngectomy in 31 patients. Complications and functional outcomes of the two methods are compared. Primary swallowing was achieved in 86% of patients after gastric pull-up and in 82% of patients after jejunal interposition. Patients who underwent jejunal interposition were able to swallow sooner and had a shorter hospital stay than patients who underwent gastric pull-up. Esophageal tumor recurrence after jejunal interposition was not observed. Hepatic failure occurred in two gastric pull-up patients, leading to perioperative death in one. Flap necrosis occurred in two jejunal interposition patients and one gastric pull-up patient. Two additional fistulas occurred in jejunal interposition patients as a result of microvascular complications. Stricture developed in four jejunal interposition patients, requiring revision surgery in two. Minor complications were more common in the gastric pull-up group. Long-term speech and swallowing function are compared. Our current choice of jejunal interposition or gastric pull-up for reconstruction after total laryngopharyngectomy primarily depends on the location of the tumor.

Surgical management of the mass in the buccal space.

The discovery of a mass in the buccal space provides a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. A common approach for the removal of the mass in the buccal space has been through the oral cavity. However, there is an ever-present danger of injury to the facial nerve and Stensen's duct with this approach. Experience with tumors in this area prompted a review of the anatomy of the buccal space and resulted in an improvement in the surgical technique. Our external approach through an extended parotid-submandibular incision provides excellent exposure which minimizes the risk of complications during excision of these tumors and provides an excellent cosmetic result.

Free jejunal transfer for reconstruction of the laryngopharynx.

Reconstruction of the laryngopharynx and cervical esophagus presents difficult problems. We embarked on a program using free jejunal transfer for such reconstruction. Thirty-two patients have been evaluated, with a mean follow-up of 16.7 months. Thirty-four transfers were undertaken--14 as primary repair and 20 after the failure of alternate methods. Twenty-six patients were able to achieve oral feeding. There was one immediate and one delayed failure of the graft. Twelve fistulas developed, seven of which healed spontaneously in less than 2 weeks. Four patients experienced complications related to the microvascular anastomosis which required repair. Six patients had significant dysphagia; four of these had side-to-end distal anastomosis. This technique had been abandoned and improvement resulted. We conclude that free jejunal transfer is an expeditious, safe, and reliable method of reconstruction for patients who require total laryngopharyngectomy.