Tongue cancer surgery better than chemotherapy

Patients diagnosed with tongue cancer could benefit more from undergoing surgery when compared to receiving only chemotherapy. A new study has shown that surgery followed by radiation for the treatment of tongue cancer proves more effective than chemotherapy alone. 

Researchers from the University of Michigan, US, found that advanced surgical techniques mean the outcome for patients that undergo surgery to remove cancer of the tongue have a much better outcome. They noted that although patients might be unsure about undergoing extensive and invasive surgery, their chances of survival are much higher.

Published in the online journal 'JAMA Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery', the study looked at 19 patients that had been diagnosed with advanced oral cavity cancer. Each of the participants was provided with induction chemotherapy treatment at the start of the trial. Any patients who experienced a 50 per cent reduction in their tumour were treated with radiation and further doses of chemotherapy.

The patients that did not respond as positively to the initial dose of chemotherapy underwent surgery to remove the tumour, which was then followed by radiation treatment. 

Unfortunately, the study was ended early due to the poor outcomes. Only ten of the 19 patients responded positively to chemotherapy, but only three of them remained cancer-free five years after initial treatment. Of the nine patients that underwent surgery, two were still alive and cancer-free five years later.

Researchers continued to look at similar patient groups that had received surgery, radiation and advanced reconstruction as the treatment for tongue cancer. It was found that there were higher survival rates for patients that had undergone this course of treatment compared to patients that received chemotherapy. 

The researchers also found that the typical course of treatment - providing patients with an initial dose of chemotherapy to see if they are suited to continuous treatment or surgery - actually complicates surgical treatment. This can affect a patient's survival rates and chances of developing treatment-related complications.