[Prognostic factors in radiotherapy for hypopharyngeal cancer]. / Czynniki prognostyczne w radioterapii samodzielnej raka gardla dolnego.

This paper presents influence of selected prognostic factors on results of hypopharyngeal cancer radiotherapy used as only treatment in 97 patients irradiated in Centre of Oncology-Institute in Gliwice between 1980-1987. One-variant analysis showed statistically significant influence of gender, decrease of haemoglobin level during radiotherapy and higher T and N stages. Multivariant analysis demonstrated, that only locoregional status and treatment time has decisive importance on radiotherapy results. Thus, better results of treatment depend on lower T and N stages and correct radiotherapy time.

[Head and neck lymph node metastases from unknown primary site]. / Przerzuty do wezlów chlonnych regionu glowy i szyi z nieznanego ogniska pierwotnego.

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the group of 50 patients with cervical nodes metastases from unknown primary site treated between 1980-1995 in Maria Sk_odowska-Curie Memorial Institute of Oncology in Gliwice. There were 42 males and 8 females ranging in age from 26 to 85 years (median 60). 24 patients underwent combined therapy (surgery with postoperative radiotherapy), 22 underwent radiotherapy. Only 4 patients were treated with surgery alone. 3-years DFS rates were 59% in group treated with combined method, and 10% in group treated only with radiation therapy (p = 0.003). After a median follow up of 39 months 10 primary tumors were discovered--8 in head and neck region, 2 in lower respiratory tracts. DFS rate in group with discovered primary tumors was 40%.

[Comparison of natural history of squamous cell carcinoma and nondifferentiated carcinoma localized in oro- and nasopharynx]. / Ocena porównawcza przebiegu klinicznego raka plaskonablonkowego i niezróznicowanego czesci ustnej i nosowej gardla.

Aim of this study is comparison of natural history between two subtypes of cancer: squamous and undifferentiated, which were localised in oro- and nasopharynx. Analysis has contained 175 patients with undifferentiatied and 510 patients with squamous cell cancers of oro- and nasopharynx, who were treated in Centre of Oncology--Institute branch Gliwice in 1980-1998. Presence of undiferentiated subtypes were bounded with shortening time of presence the symptoms of disease, most frequent exophytic type of infiltration than in squamous cancer with ulcerative--necrotic type of infiltration. Higher aggressiveness of undifferentiated cancer is based on higher frequency of distant and nodal metastases, metastases to contralateral nodes and higher percentage of conglomerates.