title: Recurrence after radiotherapy for glottic carcinoma.
abstract: A series of 478 patients with T1-3N0 glottic carcinoma treated by irradiation is presented. Of these patients, 320 were previously untreated, whereas 158 patients were referred for treatment of a recurrence after receiving radiotherapy elsewhere. The primary recurrence rate in the previously untreated patients was 10%. The rate was higher in T2 and T3 tumors, poorly differentiated tumors, and in patients who were in poor general condition. Over 80% of the recurrent tumors were Stage pT3 or pT4, whereas 12% of total laryngectomy specimens showed necrosis only with no evidence of tumor. The necrosis rate in previously untreated patients was 1% for T1 tumors, 4% for T2 tumors, and 3% for T3 tumors. Of all tumors, 60% were transglottic when they recurred, whereas only 29% were confined to the glottis at recurrence. Histologic diagnosis had a high sensitivity but a low specificity, indicating that a negative histologic report is unreliable. Of patients with a recurrent primary tumor, 13% were untreatable. The 5-year survival after a primary recurrence was 39%, and the main prognostic factors were sex, T stage at recurrence, and time to recurrence. Of patients available for follow-up at 5 years 49% were alive with a larynx, 5% were alive without a larynx, 13% were dead of the original cancer, and 33% had died of other causes. In those suffering a primary recurrence, the commonest cause of death was a subsequent lymph node metastasis, followed in order of frequency by stomal recurrence and recurrence in the pharyngeal remnant. The hospital mortality rate after laryngectomy was 3%, and 30% of patients undergoing laryngectomy developed a pharyngocutaneous fistula. The recurrence rate in lymph nodes was 14% at 5 years, general condition and T stage being the only significant predictors of recurrence. Only 17% of patients had small (N1) nodes by the time the diagnosis of cervical lymph node recurrence was made, and 27% of all patients were unsuitable for treatment. Host, tumor factors, and time to recurrence were not significant predictors of survival after node recurrence. The survival rate 5 years after node recurrence was 16%, and the main cause of death in those who died was uncontrolled disease in the neck. The hospital mortality after salvage neck dissection was 4.7%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Liverpool, England.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Viani
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Stell
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dalby
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005931:Glottis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015996:Survival Rate