Carcinoma of the lip

Abstract

1. 1. From 1946 through 1959, 72 separate cancers of the lip in 69 patients have been treated; 63 of these were new lesions, while 9 were recurrences after treatment elsewhere. Every patient except one who refused it was treated by irradiation or surgery. There were no operative deaths. 2. 2. Sixty primary lesions unassociated with clinical metastases were given local treatment only; 32 with radiation, 26 with excision, and 2 with operation plus radiation. One of the former recurred and was successfully treated by excision; one of the latter developed a cervical metastasis and the patient died despite operation. 3. 3. Of 8 patients with proved positive cervical metastases, 6 after unsuccessful treatment elsewhere, 2 were salvaged by operation. 4. 4. The net salvage for the group (6 failures in 67 determinate cases) was 90 per cent; for those presenting without metastases (one failure in 60 determinate cases) it was 98.3 per cent. 5. 5. We conclude that cancer of the lip is a malignancy of low virulence, equally well treated, when reasonably early, by surgery or irradiation and without prophylactic neck dissection. When metastases are present, it should be treated by radical surgery. © 1962.