eMedicine Specialties > Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery > Head & Neck Surgery

Malignant Tumors of the Palate: Follow-up

Author: Nader Sadeghi, MD, FRCS(C), Associate Professor of Surgery, Director of Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology, George Washington University
Coauthor(s): Khalid Al-Sebeih, MD, FRCSC, Fellow, Department of Otolaryngology, Kuwait University Faculty of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jul 9, 2008

Outcome and Prognosis

In the last 5 years, inclusion of quality of life (QOL) measures in the treatment decisions for head and neck cancer have become important. Oropharyngeal cancers that include the soft palate are an area of active clinical research, using QOL as an outcome measurement. With combined modalities of treatment including surgery and radiotherapy or chemoradiation, both being comparable in cure rates for advanced cancers, predicted QOL becomes an important consideration to help make treatment decisions.

Future and Controversies

Elective treatment of the clinically negative neck in head and neck cancer versus observation and subsequent treatment of those who develop neck metastasis remains a subject of controversy. Recent retrospective data suggest that the rate of occult neck disease (pN1) in N0 patients receiving meticulous workup is low. Close observation with later treatment reserved for subsequent neck disease produces statistically similar survival rates to the elective prophylactic treatments and may be a valid form of treatment. Current literature, however, lacks clinical evidence to answer this question.

 


More on Malignant Tumors of the Palate

Overview: Malignant Tumors of the Palate
Workup: Malignant Tumors of the Palate
Treatment: Malignant Tumors of the Palate
Follow-up: Malignant Tumors of the Palate
Multimedia: Malignant Tumors of the Palate
References
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Further Reading

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Keywords

malignant palate tumor, squamous cell carcinoma, SCC, nonsquamous cell cancer, non-squamous cell cancer, non-SCC, minor salivary gland cancer, sarcoma, melanoma, soft palate cancer, soft palate carcinoma, palate cancer, palate carcinoma, hard palate cancer, hard palate carcinoma, oral cavity cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, Kaposi sarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, mucoepidermoid carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, anaplastic carcinoma, palate cancer, palate tumor

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Nader Sadeghi, MD, FRCS(C), Associate Professor of Surgery, Director of Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology, George Washington University
Nader Sadeghi, MD, FRCS(C) is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American Head and Neck Society, Federation of Medical Specialists in Quebec, and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Khalid Al-Sebeih, MD, FRCSC, Fellow, Department of Otolaryngology, Kuwait University Faculty of Medicine
Khalid Al-Sebeih, MD, FRCSC is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Canadian Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Canadian Society of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Kuwait Medical Association, and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

M Abraham Kuriakose, MD, DDS, FRCS, Chairman, Head and Neck Institute, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences
M Abraham Kuriakose, MD, DDS, FRCS is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Cancer Research, American Head and Neck Society, British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and Royal College of Surgeons of England
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Karen Hall Calhoun, MD, Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Ohio State University
Karen Hall Calhoun, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American College of Surgeons, American Head and Neck Society, American Medical Association, American Rhinologic Society, Association for Research in Otolaryngology, Society of University Otolaryngologists-Head and Neck Surgeons, Southern Medical Association, Texas Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Christopher L Slack, MD, Otolaryngology-Facial Plastic Surgery, Private Practice, Associated Coastal ENT; Medical Director, Treasure Coast Sleep Disorders
Christopher L Slack, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and American Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Arlen D Meyers, MD, MBA, Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine
Arlen D Meyers, MD, MBA is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and American Head and Neck Society
Disclosure: Covidien Corp Consulting fee Consulting; US Tobacco Corporation unstricted gift unknown; Axis Three Corporation Ownership interest Consulting; Omni Biosciences Ownership interest Consulting; Sentegra Ownership interest Board membership; Syndicom Ownership interest Consulting; Oxlo  Consulting; Medvoy Ownership interest Management position

 
 
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