Epidermoid carcinoma of the palate

From 1939 through 1960, 422 patients with epidermoid carcinoma of the palate were observed at Memorial Hospital. One hundred twenty-three lesions originated on the hard palate and 299 on the soft palate. Ninety per cent of these patients (381) were treated for cure. Surgery was preferred for the primary tumor and cervical metastases if present. The absolute five year cure rate was 22 per cent, whereas the determinate cure rate was 30 per cent. The main cause of treatment failure was recurrence at the primary site. Small tumors confined to their primary site of origin had the best prognosis.