An analysis of 200 consecutive patients with head and neck squamous cell cancer treated after surgery with radiation at the Centre of Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute in Gliwice was performed. At the beginning of radiotherapy recurrences were found in 67 (33.5%) patients. Recurrences were diagnosed at the primary site exclusively in 30 patients, in lymph nodes only in 21 patients, in both localizations in 14 patients, and in 2 patients in the tracheostomy. Conventional 60Co radiation treatment to the mean total dose of 62.5 Gy was applied. Three year disease-free survival probability was 22% for patients with recurrences comparing to 54% for patients with no relapse. In the group of patients with recurrences better prognosis was found for patients with preoperatively early stages, and with early recurrences, located in the primary tumour site, which completely responded to radiotherapy. High rate of recurrences after surgery for head and neck cancer and low probability of recurrence control with radiotherapy indicate the necessity of more careful qualification for surgical treatment.