Salvage treatment for neck recurrence after irradiation alone for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with clinically positive neck nodes

Background To analyze the likelihood of salvage for patients with recurrence in the neck after radiotherapy. Method Recurrent disease developed in the neck of 51 patients after primary irradiation for head and neck carcinoma. Salvage was defined as no recurrence of cancer anywhere for at least 1 year after initial salvage treatment and continuously thereafter. Results Thirty‐three patients (65%) did not undergo a salvage attempt: 18 had unresectable disease; 9 were medically unfit, 4 had distant metastasis; and 2 refused treatment. Eighteen patients (35%) underwent salvage treatment with chemotherapy alone (4 patients), chemotherapy and neck dissection (1 patient), neck dissection alone (11 patients), or surgery with radiotherapy (2 patients). After the initial salvage treatment, recurrent local‐regional and/or distant disease developed in all patients. Recurrence was in the neck alone in 10 patients (55%); neck and distant sites in 3 patients (17%); neck, primary site, and distant sites in 2 patients (11%); and with distant metastasis alone in 3 patients (17%). Control of neck disease at 5 years was 9% for the 18 patients who underwent a salvage attempt, as well as for all 51 patients. For the overall group, absolute and cause‐specific survival rates were both 10% at 5 years. Conclusions The likelihood of successful salvage treatment after a neck recurrence following radiotherapy is remote. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Head Neck 21:591–594, 1999.