Advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue treated with surgery and post-operative radiotherapy

Background: Early stage squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue has been successfully treated with radiotherapy and brachytherapy. However, the vast majority of these tumours seen in Western Europe are already at an advanced stage. Medical records of 79 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue treated between 1980 and 1994 were examined. Methods: Eighty-three per cent of the primary tumours were stage T3 or T4. Fifty-nine patients were treated with surgery and post-operative radiotherapy. Quality of life assessment amongst the survivors was performed by means of a questionnaire. Results: Five year disease free survival in patients undergoing excision for T3–T4 tumours was 59%. Patients with T2–T3 tumours undergoing partial excision of the tongue base had a 3 year recurrence free survival rate of 68%. Distant metastasis occurred in 16%. Seventy-eight per cent of the patients judged their quality of life to be near normal. Conclusion: Surgery and post-operative radiotherapy offer a reasonably good survival in advanced carcinoma of the base of the tongue with preservation of quality of life.