RESUMO
One hundred and forty three patients with inoperable squamous cell carcinoma of the oro- and hypopharynx were seen in the Radiotherapy and Oncology department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria from January 1985 to December 1989. The median age was 51 years, and the male to female ratio was 1.38: 1. Patients with hypopharyngeal carcinomas constituted 74% of the series. The overall response to radiotherapy was 82%, with 47% complete responders. The clinical stage and radiation dose had a prognostic value in determining the response to radiation. Chemotherapy was used in 45 cases after failure of radiotherapy with partial response in 8 cases. The responses were of short duration. The median survival was 6 months in the whole series. Late stages, poorly differentiated tumors, and inadequate doses of irradiation were associated with a worse prognosis and short survival