The aim of this study is to show that surgical treatment of early-stage @entity957 of the oropharynx gives identical, if not better, oncological results than the classic radiotherapy treatment in terms of locoregional control and survival. Fifty-three @entity1 (32 T1, 21 T2, all N0) were operated on during the years 1995-2000. Surgical treatment consisted in a resection by the transoral approach in 43 @entity1 (81.13%); ten @entity1 (18.87%) benefited from a pharyngectomy with (seven) or without (three) mandibular resection. A level I to V selective neck dissection was performed on 35 @entity1 , and 5 @entity1 underwent a level II to V selective neck dissection. The 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 100, 94.6 and 73%, respectively. There was no significant difference concerning the @entity5 stage ( P=0.69), the initial localization ( P=0.64), the macroscopic aspect ( P=0.65) and the management undertaken in the different centers ( P=0.19). The 5-year rate of specific survival was 100%. The 1-, 3- and 5-year locoregional control rates were 96.22, 92.45 and 88.68, respectively. The oncological occurrences observed were 2 persistent diseases, 5 local recurrences, 11 second @entity5 and 0 nodal recurrences. Seven local failures were observed, all of which were controlled after a second treatment. Eleven @entity1 presented second @entity5 ; three died, two are alive with an extension of this second localization, and six are alive and free of disease. The locoregional control provided by surgery alone on T1-T2 N0 @entity5 is as good as radiotherapy. Moreover surgery alone makes it possible to spare @entity1 the complications and aftereffects of radiotherapy. It also makes it possible during the recurrences to operate on @entity1 in non-irradiated areas with lower morbidity and mortality. It is all the more beneficial since it will be possible to resort to radiotherapy after surgery if need be.

XXXX treated with surgery alone. A GETTEC study.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity957 :: ('MESH:D002294', 'Disease') :: ['squamous cell carcinomas'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['tumor', 'oropharyngeal cancers', 'primary cancers']
@entity5 :: (MESH:D009369,Disease) :: ['T1-T2 NO oropharyngeal cancers']
