[General orientation of the treatment of mouth and pharyngeal neoplasms].

The treatment of carcinomas of oropharynx and oral cavity has changed rapidly over the last 15 years due to the progress of surgical technics and of oncological knowledge. As far as natural history and therapy are concerned, there are two opposing types of cancer: 1. Carcinomas developing from a mucous membrane covering a lymphoid tissue (cancers of the tonsil, some cancers of the palate and the base of tongue). Treatment is usually by radiotherapy, and surgery is mainly resorted to if radiotherapy fails. Therapeutic trials of chemotherapy are in progress. 2. Carcinomas developing from a mucous membrane covering muscles (cancers of the tongue, floor of the mouth and interval cheek) or bone of the mandible (carcinomas of the gingiva, floor of the mouth and gingiva, and retro-alveolar area). The therapy is described. The principles of treatment of the regional lymph nodes are also described.