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Functional Outcomes After Treatment of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Base of the Tongue
Mark A. Perlmutter, BS;
Jonas T. Johnson, MD;
Carl H. Snyderman, MD;
Elmer R. Cano, MD;
Eugene N. Myers, MD
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2002;128:887-891.
Objective To compare functional outcome and quality of life after various treatments
for squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue.
Design Retrospective survey using statistical comparison.
Setting Academic medical center, institutional practice.
Participants Patients treated for squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue
between 1976 and 2000. Living patients 3 or more months after treatment were
eligible. Questionnaire packets including validated site-specific quality-of-life
instruments were mailed to 105 qualifying patients. Sixty-one patients participated,
forming a volunteer sample. Patient responses were grouped according to treatment
modality, operative vs nonoperative.
Main Outcome Measures The planned outcome was that nonoperative therapy would result in better
function than operative treatment.
Results Most comparisons indicated no statistical difference in outcome between
operative and nonoperative groups. Significant differences (95% confidence
interval) were calculated for age, interval since treatment, and T stage.
Group comparisons of patient responses revealed significant differences only
in xerostomia and days hospitalized.
Conclusions The tongue remains dysfunctional after both surgical and nonoperative
treatment. Nonoperative treatment might more adversely affect saliva. Surgery
is associated with a longer hospital stay.
From the Departments of Otolaryngology (Mr Perlmutter and Drs Johnson,
Snyderman, and Myers) and Radiation Oncology (Dr Cano), The University of
Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pa.
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