The problem of neck relapse in early stage supraglottic cancer--results of different treatment modalities for the clinically negative neck

We reviewed the records of patients with Stage I and II epidermoid carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx treated at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, and at the Rotterdam Radio-Therapeutic Institute (RRTI), The Netherlands, between 1965 and 1979. At the MSKCC the treatment modality of choice for the primary tumor as well as for the neck had been surgery; of the 79 patients treated by surgery an elective neck dissection was performed on 31 patients. At the RRTI, however, the initial treatment for the primary tumor and the neck is radiation therapy. One-hundred and one patients were treated of whom 79% (80/101) had radiation therapy to the primary tumor as well as to both sides of the neck. This paper focuses on the problem of relapse in the neck, thus comparing patients treated in two large cancer centers by different treatment philosophies, that is elective neck dissection on one side of the neck versus elective radiation therapy to both sides of the neck. Twenty-nine percent of the patients from MSKCC (23/79) relapsed in the neck. The relapse rate was identical between the patients who did not have an elective radical neck dissection, and those who did. Among the patients who relapsed in the neck 65% (15/23) have died of the cancer, while among those who did not, none has died of supraglottic larynx cancer. Twenty-three percent (23/101) of the patients of the RRTI relapsed in the neck. Those who received radiation therapy to the primary tumor only relapsed regionally in 38% (8/21); treatment of both sides of the neck reduced the incidence of nodal recurrence to 19% (15/80). The majority of patients who relapsed in the neck eventually died of the cancer, that is 57% (13/23). Data from both institutions once again demonstrate the impact on survival of a relapse in the neck. Best strategies for decreasing the relapse rate in the neck are discussed; the conclusion was reached that, so far, elective radiation to both sides of the neck is the preferable treatment.     

Planned preoperative radiation therapy for advanced laryngeal carcinoma

One hundred ten patients with predominantly advanced laryngeal carcinoma were treated in the period 1969–1978 with planned preoperative radiation therapy followed by surgery. Site distribution was: 63 supraglottic, 26 glottic, 15 transglottic and 6 subglottic. There were 4 Stage II patients, 66 Stage III and 40 Stage IV. Preoperative radiation therapy consisted of Telecobalt irradiation to a total dose of 25 Gy given to a target volume encompassing the larynx and regional neck nodes, given in 5 equal daily fractions of 5 Gy in 5 consecutive days. Surgery was performed 2 days later. Total laryngectomy was performed on 48 patients, total laryngectomy with neck dissection on 55 patients, supraglottic laryngectomy on 5 and supraglottic laryngectomy with neck dissection on 2 patients. Crude actuarial 5 and 10 year survival probability for the whole group is 71 and 61%, respectively. The corrected 5 and 10 year survival is 75%. For patients with T₃T₄N₀ tumors 5 and 10 year survival probability is: crude 65 and 58%, and corrected 70% respectively. For T₃T₄N , crude: 75 and 60% and corrected: 78%.Of 110 patients, one died postoperative, three died of intercurrent disease, five died as a result of second malignancy, and 23 died of their larynx carcinoma: $\text{12}\text{23}$ because of locoregional failure, and $\text{11}\text{23}$ because of distant metastasis. We concluded that short intensive preoperative radiation therapy and surgery offer a high cure rate in the treatment of advanced resectable laryngeal carcinoma. The merits of this technique are outlined in the text.     

Larynx preservation using induction chemotherapy plus radiation therapy as an alternative to laryngectomy in advanced head and neck cancer. A long-term follow-up report.

Since 1977, we have used induction chemotherapy (CT) plus radiation therapy (RT) with curative intent in 35 advanced head and neck cancer (Ca) patients who otherwise would have required total laryngectomy. Fourteen patients had advanced Ca of the larynx or supraglottic larynx (SGL); 21 patients had Ca of the hypopharynx. In six patients the Ca was Stage III; in 26 patients it was Stage IV. Three patients had Stage II disease--2 with cancer of the pyriform sinus and one patient with Stage II SGL Ca who refused surgery. Chemotherapy consisted of platinum (P) + bleomycin in 18 patients until 1982, then P + fluorouracil in the next 17 patients. Total response rate was 77%--complete (CR) in 26% and partial (PR) in 51%. There were two toxic deaths. Surgery was limited to tracheostomy in 4 patients prior to CT and to radical neck dissection after CT in 4 others. Two patients required salvage laryngectomy at 11 and 31 months, respectively. One patient underwent partial laryngectomy with voice preservation. Thirty-two patients were evaluable for overall response after RT. Final disease-free status was achieved in 20/34. One long-term survivor was lost to follow-up (44 months) and 8 patients remained alive at 13+ to 109+ months. Median failure-free survival for all patients was no less than 24 months. Not counting 4 early deaths free of disease, 2-year local control using only chemotherapy plus radiation was 52% (16:31). Overall, 33 of 35 patients retained their voices. Sixteen patients (46%) have survived 2 years or longer. Survival of patients who achieved CR after induction chemotherapy was 48 months versus 14 months for those with less than a CR (p = 0.001). Patients with a hypopharyngeal primary had only a 33% 2-year local control rate with chemotherapy and radiation and a median survival of only 12 months versus 77% control and a minimum 39-month survival for those whose tumor arose in the larynx (p = 0.009). Induction chemotherapy plus radiation therapy is an effective strategy which can produce a high rate of larynx preservation, local control, and long-term survival in patients with advanced cancer of the larynx. Patients with hypopharyngeal primaries have a lesser rate of long-term survival and local control, despite similar overall response rates.     

Supraglottic Larynx Cancer, T1-4 No, Treated by Radical Radiation Therapy: Problem of neck relapse

The records of 203 patients with T1-4 NO epidermoid carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx treated at the Dr. Danbiel den Hoed Cancer Center/Rotterdam Radiotherapeutic Institute (RRTI), in 1965-1979 were reviewed. This report is confined to the 165 patients treated by radiation therapy (RT) only and focuses on the problem of relapse in the neck. A comparison is made between patients treated for the primary tumor with RT portals ≤30 cm² and patients treated with larger field sizes. Sixty patients suffered a local recurrence, which was followed by a relapse in the neck in 13 patients. Nineteen patients experienced a relapse in the neck without a previous local failure. Five of these patients experienced a local failure at a later time. A multivariate analysis showed that the risk of a regional failure was significantly higher after a local failure and also for patients treated with small radiation portals (≤30cm²). Patients with an advanced tumor stage did not have a higher risk of a regional failure. A recurrence in the neck carried a poor survival; nearly two thirds of these patients died of their disease. As a recurrence in the neck seems to be correlated to the control of the primary tumor as well as to the (elective) treatment of the neck, best strategies to further increase the local/regional control are discussed.     

T3声门上喉癌33例的治疗

目的：研究T3声门上癌的治疗效果，讨论分析T3病变的临床处理方法。方法：回顾1982年－1991年于中山医科大学肿瘤医院住院治疗的T3声门上喉癌33例。声门上癌原发灶均行手术治疗，其中27例行全喉切除术，6例行声门上水平部分喉切除术。颈部的处理方式包括：13例临床N（＋）的患者中2例行根治性颈淋巴结清扫术，11例行区域性颈淋巴结清扫术；20例临床N0病例中1例选择性颈淋巴结清扫术，其余19例均随诊观察。本组病例中单纯手术治疗19例，其余14例手术加放疗的综合治疗。结果：本组T3声门上喉癌治疗后的五年生存率为63．6％（21／33），五年的无瘤生存率为57．6％（19／33），Kaplan-Meier分析总体的五年累计生存率为63．9％。原发灶部分喉手术和全喉手术的五年生存率分别为80％和59．9％，Kaplan-Meier分析两者间差异无显著性（Log Rank=0.82,P=0.3646）。单纯手术和手术加放疗的五年生存率分别为56．4％和67．3％，Kaplan-Meier分析两组间差异无显著性（Log Rank＝0．61，P＝0．4341）。33例临床T3的声门上喉癌病例治疗后有5例出现原发灶复发，12例出现颈部复发，治疗对原发灶和颈部的控制率分别为84．8％（28／33）和63．6％（21／33）。结论：声门上癌侵犯会厌前间隙和舌根的T3亚型，声门上水平喉切除术可以获得较好的疗效。对于伴声带固定的T3病变，应谨慎选择部分喉手术。手术加放疗虽然不能显著影响生存率，但较单纯手术有较高的五年生存率的趋势。结合放化疗治疗声门上T3病变仍有待进一步探讨。     

Results of integrated management of supraglottic carcinoma.

Between January 1957 and June 1974, 173 patients with carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx were treated by an integrated approach at the University of California in San Francisco. The policy was to use radiotherapy or surgery alone for Stage I and II disease, radiotherapy combined with either supraglottic laryngectomy or total laryngectomy for resectable Stage III and IV disease, and radiotherapy alone for advanced unresectable disease. Control of the disease in the primary site was achieved in 92% of T1a, 88% of T1b, 80% of T2, 79% of T3 and 56% of T4 lesions. Of the 36 patients with late Stage I and resectable Stages III and IV disease treated by combined preoperative radiotherapy and supraglottic or total laryngectomy, the primary lesion was controlled in 33 (92%). Recurrent disease in the primary site after radiotherapy alone, when detected early, was usually controlled by subsequent surgery, whereas recurrent disease after surgery was not controlled by radiotherapy. Preservation of a functioning vocal apparatus was achieved in 44% of the patients whose primary lesion was controlled. Control of cervical lymph node metastasis was achieved in 71% of N1, 38% of N2, and 25% of N3 disease. No disease recurred in the radically dissected neck which received preoperative radiotherapy. Radiotherapy also reduced the incidence of subsequent neck disease in patients without cervical lymph node metastasis initially from 23% to 14%.     

颈清扫术在声门上型喉癌治疗中的作用

目的 探讨颈清扫术在声门上型喉癌治疗中的作用.方法 总结448例声门上型喉癌患者的临床治疗及生存情况,其中T12例,T2175例,T3 140例,T4 131例.N+173例,占声门上型喉癌的38.6％.采用喉部分切除术173例,喉全切除术275例.同期颈清扫术396例(88.4％)(单侧168例,双侧228例).223例N0病例行改良全颈清扫术,173例N+病例行经典全颈清扫术,52例N0患者未行颈清扫术.结果 直接法统计其3年生存率为75.2％(337/448),5年生存率为52.2％(234/448).N0患者3年生存率为78.9％ (217/275),5年生存率为69.8％(192/275).N+患者3年生存率为69.4％ (120/173),5年生存率为24.3％(42/173),二者比较差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Ⅰ、Ⅱ期123例,Ⅲ、Ⅳ期325例,5年生存率分别为76.4％ (94/123)及43.1％(140/325),二者差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01).在颈部转移二次住院手术的44例中,其5年生存率仅为34.1％(15/44).结论 喉癌早期病例疗效明显好于晚期病例.声门上型喉癌N0时同期行必要的择区性颈清扫术是提高疗效的重要措施.     

Supraglottic carcinoma: patterns of failure and salvage treatment after curatively intended radiotherapy in 410 consecutive patients

PURPOSE: In a series of consecutive patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx, in which almost all were treated by primary radiotherapy, the study describes the path from diagnosis to cure or death, and evaluates the patterns of failure and the treatment of recurrences. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The analysis included 410 patients, 104 females and 306 males, treated between 1963 and 1991. Most patients were in Stage I (33%), and the remaining were in Stage II (18%), III (23%), and IV (26%). Primary intended curative treatment was delivered in 398 (radiotherapy, 394; surgery, 4) of 410 cases (98%). RESULTS: Initial radical treatment resulted in 173 cured patients and 225 patients with a recurrence. Curatively intended salvage could be applied in 158 patients: surgery in 154 patients (74 cured) and radiotherapy in 4 (none cured). Overall, 247 patients (60%) obtained tumor control, 179 (44%) without a laryngectomy. Sixty-three patients had a total laryngectomy, and five had a partial laryngectomy. The 5-year locoregional tumor control, disease-specific survival, and overall survival rates were 43%, 61%, and 47%, respectively. With a follow-up of 20 years posttreatment, 91 new primary malignant tumors were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Radiotherapy is effective in the treatment of supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma, and the patients have a relatively good prognosis. Many patients retained their larynx intact. Recurrence after primary radiotherapy can be treated by surgery, with a high success rate even in advanced stages. Development of second primary cancer is a growing problem.     

喉鳞癌全喉与喉部分切除术的远期疗效分析

目的　回顾分析声门上型及声门型喉鳞癌患者经全喉及喉部分切除治疗后的远期效果 ,提出今后治疗措施。方法　 42 3例喉癌患者中 ,声门上型 32 7例 ,声门型 96例。 2 43例全喉切除患者中 ,声门上型喉癌 2 10例 ,声门型 33例。喉部分切除的 180例中 ,声门上型 117例 ,声门型 6 3例。依照直接法计算出声门上型和声门型喉癌的全喉切除与喉部分切除的 1,3,5年生存率 ,以及各期病例的 3,5年生存率。结果　 32 7例声门上型喉癌术后 5年生存率为 72 9% ,全喉与喉部分切除的 5年生存率分别为 70 1%和 77 4% (P >0 0 5 )。 96例声门型喉癌术后 5年生存率为 86 0 % ,其中全喉与喉部分切除后的 5年生存率分别为 72 2 %和 92 3% (P <0 0 5 )。结论　喉癌治疗仍以手术为主 ,声门上型喉癌的喉部分切除与全喉切除远期疗效大致相等 ,而声门型喉癌的喉部分切除远期疗效明显高于全喉切除。在适应证选择合适的基础上 ,应大力倡导开展有利于患者生存质量的喉部分切除手术。     

Comparing treatment outcomes of radiotherapy and surgery in locally advanced carcinoma of the larynx: a comparison limited to patients eligible for surgery

PURPOSE: The use of radical radiotherapy and surgery for salvage (RRSS) in locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx is controversial. In the absence of randomized studies, it is unclear if RRSS can match the rates of locoregional control and survival reported for primary surgery in this setting. The aim of this study was to compare treatment outcomes of radiotherapy and surgery in comparable patients with CS III-IV SCC of the larynx. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Eighty-two patients with untreated T2N+M0 or T3T4NM0 SCC of the larynx were treated with a policy RRSS at the Toronto-Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre between June 1980 and December 1990. The medical records at presentation were reviewed independently by a panel of three surgical oncologists blinded as to treatment outcome to determine patient suitability for laryngectomy and neck dissection using eligibility criteria adopted by recent clinical trials. Treatment outcomes for surgery-eligible patients were compared to results of comparably staged patients in the surgical literature since 1980. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients (77%) were eligible for study. With a median follow-up of 3 years, radiotherapy controlled the primary in 8/20 evaluable glottic primaries and 21/41 evaluable supraglottic primaries. Forty-five percent of patients surviving 5 years retained a functional larynx. Sixteen of 29 relapsing patients were salvaged with surgery. Disease above the clavicles was controlled in 65% of T3T4N0N+ glottic primaries (compared to a published range of 53% to 79%) and 82% of T3N0 glottic primaries (compared to a published range of 69% to 84%). The 5-year overall survival of patients with T3T4 glottic cancer was 54% compared to a published range of 50% to 63%. The cause-specific survival (CSS) of patients with T3N0 glottic primaries (86% at 1 year and 73% at 2 years) was identical to the only published report of CSS in the surgical literature. CONCLUSION: A policy of RRSS offers a good chance of laryngeal conservation without compromising ultimate locoregional control or survival when compared to primary laryngectomy and neck dissection in patients with locally advanced carcinoma of the larynx meeting the surgical eligibility of clinical trials.     

声门上型喉癌的外科治疗

目的总结声门上型喉癌外科治疗经验. 方法 390例声门上型喉癌全喉切除240例,部分喉切除150例.15例未行颈清扫,余同期颈清扫. 结果 Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ期全喉切除的5年生存率为83.3%,84.2%,53.1%,42.6%;部分喉切除为82.1%,83.6%,68.1%,55.6%.浸润型、结节型、浸润结节混合型的颈淋巴转移率分别为52.5%、8.43%、35.1%,平均37.4%.结论提倡部分喉切除.N1～3病例主张同期或分期双颈清,浸润型喉癌应全部行颈清扫.     

会厌癌声门上喉部分切除术

目的 会厌癌局限于会厌或侵及榴会厌襞者,可采用声门上喉部分切除术治疗。手术中切除甲状软骨上１／３、会厌,会厌前间隙,室带的前部,如切除一侧榴状软骨,也可基本上恢复喉的全部功能。     

会厌癌声门上喉部分切除术(附40例报告)

目的会厌癌局限于会厌或侵及杓会厌襞者，可采用声门上喉部分切除术治疗。手术中切除甲状软骨上１／３、会厌、会厌前间隙、室带的前部，如切除一侧杓状软骨，也可基本上恢复喉的全部功能。方法采用声门上喉切除术治疗４０例会厌癌患者，并进行了病例整理与随访。根据ＵＩＣＣ１９８７年标准，Ｔ１１７例，Ｔ２１７例，Ｔ４６例。结果１２例行单侧颈淋巴结清除术，１例行双侧颈淋巴结清除术，术后淋巴结转移７例，占５８％。围手术期无死亡，有８例患者早期进食有轻微呛咳，所有患者均拔除套管。术后行放、化疗２９例，占７３％，３年生存率为７４％。结论选择Ｔ分级适当的患者行声门上喉切除术可获得满意的喉功能及预后     

The role of postradiotherapy neck dissection in supraglottic carcinoma

PURPOSE: To evaluate our policy of performing neck dissection based on regional response after definitive radiotherapy in patients with supraglottic carcinoma and to identify the prognostic factors in this group of patients. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between 1970 and 1995, 121 patients with node-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx were treated with definitive radiotherapy. Sixty-nine percent of patients presented with 1997 AJCC Stage IV disease. The N-stage distribution was N1, 49; N2, 62; and N3, 10. The median size of the lymph nodes was 3 cm (range, 0.5-8 cm). Forty-five patients received once-a-day treatment with a median total dose of 65 Gy (range, 58.0-70.8 Gy) in 1.8-2.0 Gy per fraction over 48 days, and 76 patients received split-course accelerated hyperfractionation with a median total dose of 67.2 Gy (range, 63.2-73.6 Gy) in 1.6 Gy twice a day over 43 days. Patients whose lymph nodes were not clinically detectable at 4-6 weeks after the completion of radiotherapy (complete response) were followed without any neck dissection. Patients with persistent neck adenopathy (partial response) underwent neck dissection whenever possible. Mean follow-up of the living patients was 6.5 years. RESULTS: Regional response was related to the size of lymph nodes at presentation. Eighty-seven percent of patients with nodal size of 3 cm or less had a complete response, whereas 43% of patients with nodal size greater than 3 cm had a partial response. The rate of regional control at 3 years for all patients in the study was 66%. The 3-year ultimate regional control rate after salvage neck dissection was 75%. A relapse in both the primary and regional sites was the most common pattern of relapse, accounting for 39% of all the failures. Local failure was associated with subsequent regional relapse with a relative risk of 4.3. For patients with complete response in whom postradiotherapy neck dissection was withheld, the regional control rates were 75% and 86% for N1 and N2, respectively. The rate of isolated regional relapse in this group of patients was 7.5%. In multivariate analysis, significant favorable factors predictive for regional control were female gender, accelerated hyperfractionation, and complete response; whereas factors predictive for overall survival were Karnofsky Performance Scale score and regional response. The rate of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) Grade 2 or 3 neck fibrosis was 17% and 23% for patients with and without postradiotherapy neck dissection, respectively. CONCLUSION: Isolated regional relapse is not common in patients with supraglottic carcinoma when a complete response is achieved at 4-6 weeks after definitive radiotherapy and postradiotherapy neck dissection is not performed. Female gender, accelerated hyperfractionation, and complete response are favorable predictors of regional control.     

A case of laryngeal carcinoma in a young adult with dyskeratosis congenita

Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is an inherited disorder that is characterized by the triad of skin pigmentation, nail dystrophy, and mucosal leukoplakia. Individuals with DC suffer from premature mortality because of bone marrow failure, pulmonary disease, or malignant transformation within the areas of mucosal leukoplakia, caused by telomerase dysfunction. We present a case of a 31-year-old Japanese man with DC who developed laryngeal cancer (supraglottic T4aN0M0). To avoid the serious risks of accelerating the DC-associated complications by DNA-damaging therapies, he was treated with a total laryngectomy plus right modified neck dissection (levels IB, IIA, III, and IV). A contralateral nodal metastasis appeared 4 months after initial surgery and was salvaged by a left radical neck dissection. Our strategy to spare DNA-damaging therapies has proven effective so far. This is the first reported case of laryngeal cancer in a patient with DC in the English-language medical literature.     

A Consecutive Series of Patients with Laryngeal Carcinoma Treated by Primary Irradiation

In Denmark there is an increasing frequency of laryngeal carcinoma, in particular in women and among these especially in supraglottic tumours. The incidence during the past 20 years has risen from about 40 to 60 cases per million per year. A series of 335 consecutive patients treated with primary radiation is presented. In one-third of all patients the tumour was localized in the supraglottic area; in women in more than half and in men in about one-fourth of the cases. The frequency of primary lymph node metastases in the supraglottic and the glottic tumours was 24% and 2% respectively. A multivariate analysis identified sex and tumour size as independent prognostic parameters of local control. Five-year survival corrected for intercurrent deaths was obtained in 59% of all cases, in 56% of supraglottic and in 92% of glottic tumours. A multivariate analysis defined localization, tumour grade and stage as independent prognostic parameters of survival. Salvage surgery was performed in about 32% of the cases, total laryngectomy in 26%, and partial laryngectomy in 6%. The survival rate among all total laryngectomies was 55%. A tracheostomy during or before radiation treatment prior to total laryngectomy had no influence on complication rate, admission time or recurrence rate. The frequency of pharyngo-cutaneous fistulae in the entire series was 11.5%; after routine use of metronidazol, however, only 5.7%. Radical neck dissection was carried out in 7.8% of the cases, by far most in the supraglottic group, only a few in the glottic carcinomas, in three-fourth in connection with a laryngectomy and in one-fourth without local recurrence in the larynx.     

声门上喉癌的手术治疗(附182例报告)

目的 探讨声门上喉癌手术治疗的方法及其疗效。方法 对182例声门上喉癌患者进行手术治疗。按1997年UICC修订案分期,I期11例,Ⅱ期45例,Ⅲ期49例,Ⅳ期77例。根据病变情况不同,采用相应的切除及修复方式。结果 全组喉部分切除术占78．6％（143／182）;Ⅲ、Ⅳ期患者中,喉部分切除术占69．8％（88／126）。喉部分切除术拔管率为81．8％（117／143）。全组患者3,5年生存率分别为82．9％和67．3％,Ⅲ、Ⅳ期喉部分切除术患者的3,5年生存率分别为76．9％和57．4％,Ⅲ、Ⅳ期全喉切除术患者的3,5年生存率分别为82．5％和67．0％。Ⅲ、Ⅳ期喉部分切除术与全喉切除术患者的生存率差异无显著性（P＞0．05）。结论 晚期声门上喉癌保留喉功能是可行的。熟练掌握多各修复方法,择优采用,可提高喉功能的保留率。     

Elective radical neck dissection in epidermoid cancer of the head and neck. A retrospective analysis of 853 cases of mouth, pharynx, and larynx cancer

A retrospective analysis of 853 patients with cancer of the mouth, pharynx, and larynx operated on over a 30-year period was performed. Four hundred fifty-seven of them had a radical neck dissection (RND) at some point. Five hundred ninety patients had no clinically positive nodes (N-o) necks at the time of primary treatment; 99 of these had elective neck dissection, whereas 95 others had a delayed RND when nodes became clinically involved. Twenty-three percent of all N-o patients had microscopically involved nodes and less than half of these were among those patients selected for elective RND. Furthermore, 58% of those patients who had elective RND did not have positive nodes. Comparative analysis of elective RND, delayed therapeutic RND after clinical appearance of nodes, and composite operations for patients with N1-N3 disease indicates little difference in disease-free survival when the nodes in the elective RND were positive microscopically for tumors (56%, 49% and 47% respectively). It thus seems that elective RND offers no real advantage over a careful watchful waiting approach in most patients.     

Early laryngeal cancer

Opinion statement For early-stage laryngeal cancer, both surgery and radiotherapy are effective treatment modalities, offering a high rate of local control and cure for this select group of patients. The probability of obtaining local control for early glottic cancer is similar when comparing the results of radiation therapy, cordectomy, and hemilaryngectomy. Radiation therapy has been the treatment of choice for all previously untreated T1 and T2 vocal cord cancers at our institution. We currently treat most patients with irradiation and consider transoral laser excision for the small subset of patients with welldefined T1 tumors that are limited to the mid-third of the cord. In this area, excision will not significantly diminish voice quality. Stage I and stage II supraglottic cancers may be treated with either radiation therapy alone or with a supraglottic laryngectomy with bilateral selective neck dissections (levels II-IV). In experienced hands, transoral laser excision also is an acceptable alternative for selected lesions. Overall, approximately 80% of patients at our institution are treated initially by irradiation.     

The different clinical presentation, behaviour and prognosis of carcinomas originating in the epilarynx and the lower supraglottis

Within the supraglottic larynx, two subregions can be distinguished: the epilarynx and the lower supraglottis. Tumours arising in these structures have very different clinical presentations and prognosis. Management should be adjusted accordingly. Between 1962 and 1977, 325 patients with supraglottic cancer were seen, of whom 317 presented as untreated cases. In 171 patients (54%) the tumour originated in the lower part of the supraglottis. In this group 61% had T1 or T2 lesions, 23% had palpable neck nodes. In 130 of these patients, the initial treatment was irradiation. At 5 years, actuarial survival was 55% (uncorrected) and local control was 77%. The larynx was preserved in 61% of patients. Tumour stage had only limited influence on treatment results, but the presence of neck nodes was very important for prognosis. The best survival rate was observed in patients with T1 or T2, N0 lesions. Epilaryngeal tumours were seen in 146 patients (46% of all supraglottic tumours). In this group, only 40% had T1 or T2 lesions and 47% had palpable nodes. In the 110 patients primarily treated with radiotherapy, uncorrected actuarial survival was 36%, local control was 56% at 5 years. The voice was preserved in 45% of patients. Tumour stage had no influence on prognosis, but the presence of lymph nodes was a very important prognostic discriminant. A dose-response relation was observed in the range between 40 Gy in 4 weeks and 65 Gy in 6.5 weeks, above this dose level no further improvement was observed. It is remarkable that, although the presence of palpable neck nodes at diagnosis is the most important factor determining local control and survival, only in 23 out of 104 local or regional recurrences was the relapse found in the neck nodes. In 75 patients, the primary treatment was a combination of radiotherapy and surgery (40 lower supraglottic and 35 epilaryngeal tumours). Survival at 5 years was 62%, local control 77%. While these results were about equal in both subsites, both survival and local control were higher than in patients treated with radiotherapy alone. In our institute, the complication rate of surgery after preoperative irradiation was low. From our data, it appears that a laryngectomy is to be preferred for all patients with palpable neck nodes and also for all T3 and T4 lesions of the lower supraglottis. Radiotherapy should probably be reserved for small (T1 and T2) tumours of the lower supraglottis and for epilaryngeal cancer without neck nodes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)