CLINICAL BEHAVIOR AND RESULTS OF CURRENT THERAPEUTIC MODALIITES FOR SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE BUCCAL MUCOSA

Abstract

A retrospective analysis of 28 patients who received therapy [surgery and radiotherapy] for squamous cell carcinoma of the buccal mucosa at the Massachusetts General Hospital [Boston, Massachusetts, USA] from Jan. 1962 through Dec. 1976 is presented. The patients ranged in age from 42-78 yr; the majority of patients presented with disease at 50 yr or more. The proportion of females in this series (43%) represented a dramatic increase compared with previous reports from other large centers. The 29% rate of metachronous or synchronous second primary malignant disease is increased significantly over that expected for the general population. Uncontrolled disease above the clavicle continues to be the major site of therapeutic failure. The development of co-operative multicenter randomized prospective protocols to evaluate the efficacy of various combinations of current therapy methods in order to improve patient survival from this devastating disease are encouraged.