A Study of Oropharyngeal Cancer

Abstract

Forty-one patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma were treated in our department between 1976and 1993. The mean age of patients was 62.1 years, and the male-female ratio was 4.8: 1.0. Twentyone patients developed the lateral wall type,9 had the superior wall type,9 had the anterior wall type, and 2 had the posterior wall type. According to the UICC system (1987),2 patients were stage I,9 were II,8 were III, 22 were IV. The rate of advanced stage (stage III, IV) was 73%. From 1976 to 1988, radiation therapy was mainly selected as the initial treatment. After 1989, surgery, irradiation and chemotherapy were combined for many cases. The overall five-year survival rate was 41.4%. The three-year survival rate was 41.7% between 1976 and 1988, and 70.6% after 1989. Due to these results, we expect the survival rate to improve.