title: Suspicion of persistent or recurrent carcinoma of the larynx after radiation therapy.
abstract: At most interdisciplinary tumour centres, radiotherapy is of prime importance in the concept of therapy for the majority of the cases of laryngeal carcinoma treated, or it is even employed--exploratively and with curative intent--as the sole therapy at first. At all events initial radiotherapy occupies a dominant position today. Against this background the question is often discussed whether, after a 'low dose' has been attained (particularly in the case of a supraglottic tumour), a partial or total laryngectomy should be performed or the radiation dose substantially increased with the aim of obtaining a cure. However, the difficulties involved immediately after irradiation or later in recognizing a persistent or recurrent carcinoma and readily identifying it histologically may be very great. Various aspects of such situations--both diagnostic and therapeutic--are discussed in general and with reference to case histories.
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007819:Laryngeal Edema / Q000209:etiology; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D007825:Laryngectomy; D007830:Larynx / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage