Abstract
Local recurrence of oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) after definitive radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is correlated to a poor prognosis. Therefore, the current study analyzed the efficacy of salvage surgery for patients with locally recurrent OPC after RT or CRT.
We retrospectively reviewed the clinical charts of patients with OPC treated between 2001 and 2011 at the University of Tokyo Hospital and enrolled 108 patients who received definitive RT or CRT. Local recurrence developed in 27 patients (25%), of whom 20 patients underwent salvage surgery.
The numbers of each subsite were as follows: superior wall: 3, lateral wall: 9, and anterior wall: 8. The two-year overall survival rate after salvage surgery was 36% (superior wall and lateral wall: 10%, anterior wall: 73%). The median survival period was 12 months.
The prognosis of salvage surgery for recurrent OPC after definitive RT or CRT was poor. Furthermore, the prognoses of superior and lateral wall cases were significantly poorer than that of anterior wall cases.
