ABSTRACT
Intra-arterial chemoradiotherapy for advanced oral cancer has recently been reported and can preserve the form and function of the tongue by avoiding surgery at the primary site. We report here a case of advanced tongue cancer treated with intra-arterial chemoradiotherapy that preserved phonation and swallowing function. A 71-year-old man presented with an ulcerative mass, 43×28 mm in size, extending from the left lingual margin to the base of the tongue. The pathological diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma based on biopsy results, and the clinical diagnosis was left lingual carcinoma (cT3N0M0, stage III) based on imaging findings. A polyurethane catheter was inserted into the left lingual artery, and intra-arterial chemotherapy was administered using docetaxel (15 mg/m2/week, total dose 60 mg/m2) and cisplatin (5 mg/m2/ day, total dose 125 mg/m2) with concurrent radiotherapy (2 Gy/day, total dose 50 Gy). Posttreatment biopsy results showed no tumor cells, and complete response was achieved, thus avoiding surgical resection of the primary site. Six years after completing treatment, the patient remains in good health with no recurrence, metastasis, phonation problems, or dysphagia.