[Epitheliomas of the piriform sinus. Therapeutic orientation. Apropos of 642 patients].

On the basis of 642 patients treated and followed up since 1961 at Laennec Hospital, the authors compare the results of radiotherapy, of surgery and of surgery with subsequent radiotherapy. Surgery followed by radiotherapy gives the best 3 and 5 year survival rates and the lowest local and lymph node recurrence rates. The introduction since 1970 of induction chemotherapy shows an improvement in local prognosis and 5 year survival. There has been a more marked improvement since the introduction of cisplatinum and the use of continuous infusions of cisplatinum and of fluoro-5-uracil with or without bleomycin.