舌癌の転移について

METASTASIS OF LINGUAL CANCER

　舌癌は頸転移を来しやすく，舌癌の治療成績は頸転移の処理いかんによるといわれている。実際に頸部廓清術が普及するにつれ，その治療成績も向上しつつある。われわれは過去13年間に経験した舌癌症例を転移の面から観察すると共に，放射性金¹⁹⁸Auを用いて臨床例および動物で舌リンパ流に関するいくつかの実験を行なつた。

Cervical metastasis was seen in 70% of tongue cancers. In 10% of cases the metasta-sis was seen on the opposite side and also into remote areas. Most metastasises were found in the pharynyx and other region of the tongue and developed ulceration. Radium irra-diation of original site of the cancer hastened the spread of the disease.

Patient's death was due to metastatic gro-wths; the prognosis of the disease was poor in those in whom metastasis was manifest Subdigastric node was often involved in the metastasis.

Scanning observation of the growth was conducted by a local injection of radio active colloid gold Au¹⁹⁸. The appearance of this agent in the cervical lymp hnodes is considered as the indicator of the location of the tumor, original and metastatic growths were thereby differentiated.

With even a slight sign of metastasis the patient is operated for radical neck dissection. In such cases the treatment of the original site of the tumor becomes highly important.