1985년 3월부터 1990년 9월까지 구강암으로 진단받고 본원 치료방사선과에서 방사선치료를 시행하였던 85명의 환자에 대한 치료결과를 후향적으로 분석하였다. 이중 방사선 단독치료가 37예였고 수술후 방사선치료가 48예였다. 방사선치료 방법으로는 70예에서 $^{60}Co$와 전자선에 의한 외부방사선조사로만 시행하였고 조직내삽입 복합요법이 7예, oral cone추가사용이 8예였다. 전체환자중 설암이 40예로 가장 많았고 구강저부암이 17예, 구개암이 12예, 후구치삼각부암을 포함한 치육암이 10예, 구협암이 5예, 구순암이 1예였다. 병리소견상 편평상피세포암이 77예로 가장 많았으며, AJC TNM 병기에 의한 병기 I+II기는 28예였고 병기 III+IV기 환자의 3년생존율은 각각 $60.9\%$와 $23.1\%$였다. 예후인자에 대한 분석상 원발병소의 크기가 유의하였다(P<0.01). 기타 나이, 원발병소의 위치, 림프절 전이여부, 치료방법(수술여부), 조사선량, 종양세포의 조직학적 등급 등에 의한 생존율과 국소제어율의 차이는 통계학적으로 유의한 결과를 얻을 수 없었다. 이중 치료방법에 따르면, 원발병소의 크기가 클수록, 혹은 림프절 전이여부를 막론하고 수술과 방사선 병용치료군에서 방사선 단독치료군보다 유의하지는 않았지만 더 높은 생존율을 보였다(p<0.1). 결론적으로 조기구강암에서는 방사선 단독치료가 수술과 방사선 병용치료에 비해 비슷한 치료성적을 보이면서도 특히 해부학적, 기능적 장애를 야기하는 수술에 비해 더 효과적이며 진행성구강암에서는 수술과 방사선 병용치료가 적절하다고 사료된다.
Eighty five patients of oral cavity cancer, treated with radiation at the Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, during the period from March 1985 to September 1990 were analyzed retrospectively. Among 85 patients, 37 patients were treated with radiation only and 48 patients were treated with radiation following surgery. And 70 patients received external irradiation only by $^{60}Co$ with or without electron, the others were 7 patients for external irradiation plus interstitial implantation and 8 patients for external irradiation plus oral cone electron therapy. Primary sites were mobile tongue for 40 patients, mouth floor for 17 patients, palate for 12 patients, gingiva including retromolar trigone for 10 patients, buccal mucosa for 5 patients, and lip for 1 patient. According to pathologic classification, squamous cell carcinoma was the most common (77 patients). According to AJC TNM stage, stage I + II were 28 patients and stage III+IV were 57 patients. Acturial overall survival rate at 3 years was $43.9\%,$ 3 year survival rates were $60.9\%$ for stage I + II, and $23.1\%$ for stage III+IV, respectively. As a prognostic factor, primary T stage was a significant factor (p<0.01). The others, age, location, lymph node metastasis, surgery, radiation dose, and cell differentiation were not statistically significant. Among those factors, radiation plus surgery was more effective than radiation only in T3+T4 or in any N stage although it was not statistically sufficient (p<0.1). From those results, it was conclusive that definitive radiotherapy was more effective than surgery especially In the view of pertainig of anatomical integrity and function in early stage, and radiation plus surgery was considered to be better therapeutic tool in advanced stage.
