Background: This study evaluated the effect of limited surgery following neoadjuvant chemotherapy compared to radical surgery in SCC VII (squamous cell cancer) tumor-bearing syngeneic C3H/HeJ mice.
Materials and methods: Mice showing a tumor response to cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil therapy were divided into three groups: radical surgery, with a 5 mm margin from the original tumor, group (A); limited surgery of 5 mm margin from the residual tumor, group (B); and very limited surgery with no margin from the residual tumor, group (C). The number of mice was 13 (group A), 12 (group B) and 12 (group C).
Results: No recurrence developed except in one mouse in group C. Three mice died in group A, one in group B and one in group C from perioperative complications. By intent-to-treat analysis, the survival was not significantly different among the three groups (p = 0.64), or between group A and B (p = 0.33).
Conclusion: The outcome of limited surgery was comparable to radical surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the mouse model of head and neck cancer.