Preoperative irradiation and surgery for carcinoma of the base of the tongue.

From 1960 through 1978, 101 patients with histologically proven epidermoid carcinoma of the base of the tongue were treated with preoperative irradiation and surgery at Washington University School of Medicine. Local and regional control at 3 years was achieved in 65% of the patients, and at 5 years in 57%. Sixteen percent of patients who suffered local or regional failure were salvaged by further surgery. Distant metastases developed in approximately 18% of patients and second malignancies developed in 20%. It appears that the combination of preoperative irradiation plus surgery provides substantial local control rates and survival for patients with base of tongue cancer in both early and moderately advanced stages.