Clinical Assessment of Laser Monotherapy for Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Mobile Tongue

Abstract

Objective: Laser monotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the mobile tongue treated with CO₂ laser was carried out on 18 cases between 1979 and 1997. Materials and Methods: Three cases recurred after laser surgery. As a subsequent therapy, radiotherapy was performed on two of them and laser surgery was repeated on the remaining one. No recurrences were found in the two patients who died from other diseases after laser surgery. Results: The cure rate of primary tumors was 83.3%. One patient had subsequent metastasis after laser surgery. The rate of recurrence and subsequent metastasis was compared between a group of patients treated with laser surgery and a group treated with radiotherapy (interstitial implant). No differences were found in the rate of recurrence between the two groups. While 22 of 52 patients had a subsequent metastasis in the group treated with interstitial implant, only one patient had it in the group treated with laser surgery. There was a statistical difference between these two groups (p < 0.01).