Abstract
During the 14 years from 1968 to 1981, 139 cases of maxillary cancer were treated at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of Fukushima Medical College. There were 84 males and 55 females (male to female ratio, 1.5:1). The peak incidence was in the fifth decade, with patients aged 50 to 70 accounting for 79%. Patients over 70 years of age accounted for 25%, showing an increase in elderly patients. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent histopathologic type, accounting for 77% of all cases. No difference was noted in prognosis between squamous cell carcinoma and undifferentiated carcinoma.
The commonest main complaints were swelling of the cheek and nasal obstruction. The cancers were stage III and stage IV in 85.6% of all cases. Thus, most of the carcinomas were already advanced at the time of the initial examination.
Patients treated with radiotherapy+intraarterial injection+necrotomy, showed no improvement in the raw 5-year-survival rate. Those who had radical resection in addition showed an improved, raw 5-year-survival rate. We believe that radical resection should be included in the initial therapy depending on the stage of advance of the tumor at the initial examination.
