Resection of advanced cervical metastasis prior to definitive radiotherapy for primary squamous carcinomas of the upper aerodigestive tract

Thirty‐five previously untreated patients with stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract with advanced neck disease (mass > 3 cm) but with primary lesions thought to be locally controllable with radiotherapy were selected between 1972 and 1988 for treatment by neck dissection followed by radiotherapy: postoperative to the neck and definitive to the primary. Limited neck dissections spared muscles, nerves, and vasculature structures unless clinically involved with cancer. All patients received at least 50 Gy, postoperatively, to the entire neck with doses of up to 75 Gy being delivered to the primary treatment portals. Regional (neck) failure occured in 11% (4 of 35) patients. Overall, 5‐year survival from cancer was 55%. Multiple levels of neck involvement were associated with poorer survival than a single large node; however, the difference was not statistically significant. Delay in the institution of radiotherapy following surgery adversely affected survival (p = 0.01). This study demonstrates that in selected patients it is possible to resect advanced nodal metastasis prior to treating the primary with radiotherapy without compromising cancer control.