[The treatment of carcinoma of the pyriform sinus at Santa Creu I Sant Pau Hospital of Barcelona. The role of surgery].

The paper deals with the retrospective review done by the AA. about the treatments used for squamous carcinomata of the pyriform sinus at Santa Creu i Sant Pau Hospital, Barcelona, between the years 1984-1990. In this term 76 sinus pyriform carcinomata were diagnosed, 12 of which (16%) were managed palliatively. In the other 64 cases radical treatment was advised and followed: 5 cases underwent radical cobalt-therapy; polychemotherapy followed by radiotherapy in 27; surgery plus radiotherapy in 7; and polychemotherapy completed with surgery and radiotherapy in the remaining 25 cases. Considerations on the realized pharyngectomies and their reconstructive steps and complications are commented. Inventory and end results in each group are reported. The beneficial local influence was evident when surgery was employed (100% with surgery plus radiotherapy and 92% with polychemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy). Local control was inferior if surgery was discarded (20% in radiotherapy and 37% by polychemotherapy followed by radiotherapy). Actuarial survival for the lump sum amounted for the 40 percent after 5 years follow-up. It must be emphasized that these groups are not comparable because the choice treatment in each case was indicated in view of the initial stage.