Primary irradiation, surgery or combined therapy in squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx. A comparison of treatment results from two centers.
We compared two groups of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx. Group 1 consisted of 483 patients treated from 1958 through 1978. Primary surgery was selected in 41% pre- or postoperative radiation therapy in 16% and primary radiation therapy in 43%. Group 2 consisted of 247 patients treated from 1978 through 1983. Primary surgery was selected in only 1.6%, pre- or postoperative radiation therapy in 23%, and primary radiation therapy, with surgery in reserve for residual or recurrent carcinoma, in 76%. Although the results were comparable for patients with early stage tumors in the two groups, significantly higher local-regional tumor control rates and corrected survival rates were recorded for patients with advanced tumors in group 2. More patients survived with a cancer-free functional larynx, the surgical salvage rates were higher, the complication rates and the death rates lower in group 2 compared to group 1.
Vermund
H
H
Department of Biophysics, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo.
Boysen
M
M
Brandenburg
J H
JH
Evensen
J
J
Jacobsen
A B
AB
Kaalhus
O
O
Tausjø
J
J
Thorud
E
E
Wiley
A L
AL
Winther
F
F
D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology