Result of treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of hypopharynx

Between 1994 and 2004, we treated 74 patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to estimate the management of hypopharyngeal cancer, referring to the relationship of survival rate and treatment policy. Each attending surgeon decided the treatment plans for 43 patients in group A, whereas surgery was recommended for the primary site of 31 patients in group B. There were no differences between the two groups in age, sex, subgroup and staging. The rate of operation was 62.8% for group A and 83.9% for group B. The 3-year survival rate of group B tended to be better than that of group A. The survival rate of group A was 43.8% and that of group B was 70.5%, however there was no statistically significant difference between them. These results provide useful information to decide the treatment plans for hypopharyngeal cancer patients. (author)