Neck Dissection vs Radiotherapy for Cervical Metastases in Advanced Hypopharyngeal Cancer

At the time of diagnosis, approximately 60%-80% of patients with hypopharyngeal cancer are found with cervical lymph node metastasis. Cervical nodal metastasis is an important prognostic factor in hypopharyngeal cancer. Induction chemotherapy is frequently used in advanced hypopharynx cancer. However, sometimes CR was obtained at the tumor's primary site but not in the palpable lymph nodes in the neck, the large cervical lymph node metastasis poorly responded to induction chemotherapy in a considerable percentage of patients. At present, patients with primary tumor achieved CR preferred to receive definitive radiotherapy no matter cervical lymph node metastasis SD or progression. But, radiotherapy was poor effective to the big cervical lymph node metastasis, because the inner of big cervical lymph node metastasis was hypoxic and necrosis. The investigators conducted a prospective, randomised trial to compare neck dissection with definitive radiotherapy for advanced hypopharyngeal cancer cervical lymph node metastasis with poor response to induction chemotherapy.