We retrospectively investigated the treatment outcomes of salvage surgery for locoregional recurrence after definitive (chemo)radiotherapy in patients with hypopharyngeal cancer.A total of 179 patients with hypopharyngeal cancer treated at Kobe University Hospital between 2012 and 2020 were included in this study.We analyzed the recurrence rate, salvage surgery rate, postoperative complications, and survival outcomes.Salvage surgery was performed in 81 of recurrent cases, and the 3-year overall survival rate in the salvage surgery group was 74, demonstrating favorable outcomes.On the other hand, postoperative complications, including pharyngocutaneous fistula, were frequent, and salvage surgery was associated with a significantly higher risk of complications compared to primary surgery.With the increasing demand for salvage surgery in the management of hypopharyngeal cancer, strategies to detect recurrence at an early stage through strict follow-up protocols, enhancement of postoperative care, and intraoperative techniques to reduce complications have become essential issues.Further efforts are required to improve treatment outcomes and to develop new strategies that can reduce the morbidity associated with salvage procedures while maintaining oncologic control.Our findings highlight the critical role of timely salvage surgery and meticulous perioperative management in improving prognosis for patients with recurrent hypopharyngeal cancer after (chemo)radiotherapy.
Matsuno et al. (Thu,) studied this question.