RATIONALE: Gathering disease-related information from medical charts of patients with primary head and neck cancer who have undergone neck dissection after complete response to chemotherapy and radiation therapy may help doctors learn more about the disease and find better methods of treatment.

PURPOSE: This clinical trial is evaluating the medical charts of patients with primary head and neck cancer who have undergone neck dissection after complete response to chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

OBJECTIVES:

• Perform a retrospective analysis, by medical chart review, of patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who underwent neck dissection following complete response to chemoradiotherapy.
• Determine whether the role of a post-chemoradiotherapy neck dissection affects the outcome of the patient's disease, in terms of overall survival, disease-free survival, and recurrence rates.

OUTLINE: This is a pilot, retrospective study.

Patients who have undergone neck dissection after achieving a complete clinical and radiological response to chemoradiotherapy are compared to patients who did not. Data are gathered by medical chart review.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck at any of the following sites:

  • Oral cavity
  • Oropharynx
  • Hypopharynx
  • Larynx

• Complete response achieved after treatment with chemoradiotherapy

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics

Adults with the diagnosis of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck at any of the following sites:

• Oral cavity
• Oropharynx
• Hypopharynx
• Larynx