CO₂LASER SURGERY FOR CARCINOMA OF OROPHARYNX

Abstract

Transoral excision of oropharyngeal carcinoma with CO₂laser was performed for 40 patients during from 1981 to 1992 in our clinic. Most patients were T1, T2 and T3 carcinomas mainly located in lateral, superior or posterior wall. Radiotherapy was combined in most cases, because post-operative histopathological study revealed insufficient safety margin. Five-year cumulative survival rate without intercurrent diseases was 74%. Five-year cumulative local control rate was 75%. The local control rate of laser surgery was significantly higher than that of radiotherapy without surgery. The local recurrence occurred only in 13%of patients with carcinoma of lateral wall, whereas it occurred in 71%of those with carcinoma of posterior or superior wall. The results suggest that T1, T2 and T3 cases of the oropharyngeal carcinoma mainly located in lateral wall are good candidates for transoral laser surgery combined with radiotherapy.