Abstract
We analyzed 45 cases of lateral wall oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated at our institution during the period from 1997 to 2008. Five-year overall and disease-specific survival rates were 55 and 67%, respectively. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) was performed in 37 cases, and surgical resection was conducted in 8 cases. Five-year local control rates with CCRT and surgical resection were 69 and 88%, respectively. The 5-year cervical lymph node control rate was 100% with neck dissection and postoperative irradiation, and 65% with CCRT and salvage neck dissection, showing no significant difference. It is considered that CCRT was unable to control metastasis to lymph nodes greater than 40 mm in N2a and N3. These findings suggest that neck dissection is a preferable treatment for cases of N2a and N3.
