Results of irradiation in squamous cell carcinoma of the soft palate and uvula.

Out of a series of 235 patients presenting with tumours of the soft palate at the Institut Curie, between 1958 and 1980, 146 cases were analysed to evaluate the results of radical radiation therapy. Seventy patients (48%) had advanced T3-T4 disease and 40 patients (27%) had clinically involved metastatic nodes. All patients had a minimum follow-up of 5 years. In 103 cases, megavoltage X-ray therapy was employed. For 43 patients, presenting with small or moderately advanced tumours, a combination of megavoltage and intra-oral orthovoltage X-rays was used. The local control rate at 3 years was 92% for T1, 70% for T2, 58% for T3 and 49% for T4 lesions. Nodal failure was seen in 19 patients. In 9 of these, it was not associated with failure at the primary site, 7 out of 9 occurring marginally or outside the treatment portals. Complications were observed in 16 patients, 7 requiring surgery. The crude 3 and 5 year survival rate was 52 and 40%, respectively, and the disease-free survival 59 and 53%.