ABSTRACT
A retrospective review of fifty patients with carcinoma of hypopharynx treated with RT+/-surgery was studied for eleven-year period from 1974 to 1984. Of the 50 patients, 46 were pyriform sinus in origin, 4 were posterior pharyngeal wall. Eighty-eight percent of patients were locoregionally advance (stage III, IV) and 78% of patients presented cervical lymphadenopathy. 5-year disease-free survival rate of the pyriform sinus ca. was 25.4% in RT alone group, 80% in combined modality group and 30.6% in overall. Local control rate with RT alone in early stage (II) was excellent (100%), however combined modality appears to be better for local control (80%) in advanced stage (III, IV) as compared with that of RT alone group (32%). On basis of this study, RT alone is effective in terms of local control and functional preservation in treatment of early stage of pyriform sinus ca. while surgery can be reserved for salvage purpose when RT fails and combined modality is recommended in patients with locally advanced stage for better local control and survival.