Resumen de Squamous cell skin carcinoma of the head and neck: results of treatment for advanced disease

Martín Granados García, María Adela C. Poitevin Chacón, Ángel Herrera Gómez, Kuauhyama Luna Ortiz, Verónica Villavicencio Valencia, Andrés Blanco Salazar, José Luis Aguilar Ponce

• Introduction. Advanced squamous cell skin carcinoma of the head & neck represents a therapeutic challenge and the purpose of the present study was to identify factors related to disease recurrence and survival.

  Material and methods. Clinical case records of 104 patients were reviewed.

  Results. Tumours were located in scalp (28%), nose (23%), cheek (19%), ear (17%) and eyelids (12%). Of the tumours, 57% were >2cm and lymph node metastases were present in 12%. Treatment administered was surgery (46%), radiotherapy (35%). Surgery + radiotherapy (16%) and chemo-radiotherapy (3%). Most relapses were local (23%). Positive margin was associated with lower recurrence (7% vs 37%; p=0.047). Mortality was associated with tumour size >4 cm (p=0.020); scalp, cheek and ear location (p=0.025); deep penetration (p=0.005); single-modality of treatment (p=0.021).

  Conclusions. Patients with large tumours (>4 cm) located in scalp, cheek and ear together with deep penetration and with positive margins need to be treated aggressively.