Abstract
Twenty-nine patients with carcinoma of the tonsillar fossa were treated at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nihon University, School of Medicine from January 1964 to May 1984.
1. There were 23 men and 6 women. The incidence was highest in the fifth decade and next highest in the sixth.
2. Only 3 patients (10%) did not smoke or drink alcohol, while 53% were habitual smokers and alcohol drinkers.
3. Histologically, malignant tumors of the tonsillar fossa were most frequently squamous cell carcinoma (26 cases), well differentiated in 8 cases, moderately differentiated in 9 and poorly differentiated in 9.
4. Neoplastic involvement of other organs was evident in 5 (17%) of the 29 cases studied.
5. The 3- and 5-year survival rates were 65% and 55% respectively.
6. Death was due to failure to achieve adequate local resection of the tumor in 5 cases, distant spread of the tumor in 2 cases and concurrence of tumors of other organs in 2 cases.
