Abstract
Combined chemo- and radiotherapy is able to cure tumors while maintaining proper oral functions, even though the tumor sometimes may not be completely regressive. Residual tumors must usually be resected along with a broader region.
This paper presents a case of advanced gingival cancer which was treated by combined chemo-and radiotherapy, followed by a minimized resection operation only in the primary tumor region. In this case, the therapy was extremely effective but it was suspected that there was still a residual tumor in a small area of the cheek. The tumor was removed in a minimized resection operation. Postoperative pathological examination revealed no residual traces of the tumor. These results suggest that there is a probability of success using minimized operations for advanced gingival cancer, especially among the aged, without impairing oral functions or the patient's general condition.
