Roentgen Therapy of Carcinoma of the Lower Lip

Abstract

Simple surgical excision or cheiloplasty, interstitial or surface curie therapy and roentgen therapy have all been applied with success to the treatment of carcinoma of the lower lip. When adequately administered, all of these treatments are equally capable of controlling the disease; but roentgen therapy is the most capable of adaptation to the circumstances of each case in order to contribute the best esthetic result, in addition to control of the tumor. A simple V-shaped excision may be preferred for the treatment of very small tumors not requiring removal of more than one-fourth of the free border of the lip. This procedure is effective in controlling small lesions, is followed by negligible impairment and, in addition, is expeditious. Surgical excision may be preferred, also, in order to avoid delay in the surgical care of metastases that are already present; in such cases the esthetic result should be a secondary consideration. Also, in advanced lesions that have already produced a large defect and ...