Hostname: page-component-cc8bf7c57-5wl6q Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-11T22:07:52.676Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

NED survival in head and neck cancer

(Post-mortem correlations)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

A. A. Narula
Affiliation:
Combined Head & Neck Oncology Clinic, Dept of Otolaryngology, University of Nottingham.
C. J. Padfield
Affiliation:
Combined Head & Neck Oncology Clinic, Dept of Otolaryngology, University of Nottingham.
D.A.L. Morgan
Affiliation:
Combined Head & Neck Oncology Clinic, Dept of Otolaryngology, University of Nottingham.
K. A. MacLennan
Affiliation:
Combined Head & Neck Oncology Clinic, Dept of Otolaryngology, University of Nottingham.
P. J. Bradley
Affiliation:
Combined Head & Neck Oncology Clinic, Dept of Otolaryngology, University of Nottingham.

Abstract

A common feature of reporting head and neck squamous cancer statistics in recent years has been to consider patients dying with no evident disease (NED) as successfully treated. We present two patients who died with no clinically evident squamous cancer and who could therefore have been reported as cured but for autopsy findings which showed significant distant spread. These findings are supported by several reports of distant metastases in squamous head and neck cancer and it is suggested that rates of post-mortem examinations be included in survival figures in the future.

Type
Clinical Records
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Berger, D. S. and Fletcher, G. H. (1971) Distant metastases following local control of squamous-cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx, tonsillar fossa and base of the tongue. Radiology, 100: 141143.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Crile, G. W. (1923) Cancer of the jaws. Surgery, Gynecology and Obstetrics, 36: 159184.Google Scholar
Loughran, C. F. (1983) Bone metastases from squamous carcinoma of the larynx. Clinical Radiology, 34: 447450.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Merino, O. R., Lindberg, R. D. and Fletcher, G. H. (1977) An analysis of distant metastases from squamous cell carcinoma of the upper respiratory and digestive tracts. Cancer, 40: 145151.3.0.CO;2-9>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
O'Brien, P. H., Carlson, R., Steubner, E. A. and Staley, C. T. (1971) Distant metastases in epidermoid carcinoma of the head and neck. Cancer, 27: 304307.3.0.CO;2-1>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Papac, R. J. (1984) Distant metastases in head and neck cancer. Cancer, 53: 342345.3.0.CO;2-9>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peltier, L. F., Thomas, L. B., Crawford, T. H., Barclay, M. B. and Kremen, A. J. (1951) The incidence of distant metastases among patients dying with head and neck cancers. Surgery, 30: 827833.Google ScholarPubMed
Probert, J. C., Thompson, R. W. and Bagshaw, M. A. (1974) Patterns of spread of distant metastases in head and neck cancer. Cancer, 33: 127133.3.0.CO;2-L>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stell, P. H. and McCormick, M. (1985) Letter. Lancet.Google Scholar
Vikram, B., Strong, E. W., Shah, J. P. and Spiro, R. (1984) Failure at distant sites following multimodality treatment for advanced head and neck cancer. Head and Neck Surgery, 6: 730733.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed