Dificultăţi de management terapeutic în tumorile maligne orofaringiene.

Pharyngeal cancer is the second most common cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract, predominately affecting the male sex, especially those with a history of alcoholism and chronic smoking. Although a high diversity of malignant tumors is present at this level, squamous cell carcinomas account for more than 90% of all of them. The authors aim to discuss the case of a 68-year-old patient admitted in our clinic for a giant infiltro-vegetative malignant tumor that included the tongue base, the bilateral vallecules, the lingual face of the epiglottis and the left free edge of the epiglottis, which produced an important mechanical obstruction of the upper aerodigestive tract, with the impossibility of visualizing the laryngotracheal axis and the hypopharynx. The elements of therapeutic management applied in this case are presented and commented, emphasizing the particularities of the surgical treatment, the problems encountered and their resolution. The success of a complete tumor resection, as well as preserving the functionality of the pharyngo-laryngeal region as much as possible contribute to the improvement of the results in the medium and long term, as well as assuring a superior quality of life for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]