High dose preoperative irradiation of the lower neck and supraclavicular fossae.

Preoperative irradiation of 5,000 rad in 5 weeks before total laryngectomy with radical neck dissection was compared for two groups of patients: (1) those treated to a smaller volume through lateral opposed fields (37 patients) and (2) those treated to a larger volume by adding a third field directed to the lower neck and supraclavicular fossae (46 patients). There were no significant differences in tolerance to irradiation or in postoperative complications. However, locoregional tumor control improved significantly from 63% to 90% (P less than 0.02) with the three-field technique, and all four stomal recurrences were in the two-field group. Deaths from intercurrent disease and from distant metastases without local recurrence account for the failure to improve the overall survival rate.