title: Tracheostomy and radiotherapy in the management of laryngeal carcinoma causing airway obstruction.
abstract: Between 1977 and 1985, 66 patients presenting with airway obstruction due to laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma were treated by tracheostomy and subsequent radiotherapy. Female survival (64% at 2 years and 35% at 5 years) was significantly better than male survival (19% at 2 years and 10% at 5 years). When four forms of management were compared, it appeared that 40 Gy in ten fractions over 21 days was associated with better survival. Because two of the treatment groups contained few patients, these were excluded from further analysis. When adjustments were made for sex, delay between tracheostomy and treatment, and residual disease, the difference in treatment response between those receiving 60+ Gy in 28-30 fractions over 42 days and those receiving 40 Gy in ten fractions over 21 days was not significant (hazard ratio 1.37; 95% CI 0.64-3.91).
authors.affiliation: Freeman Hospital, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Dawes
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Agrawal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Dawes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D015993:Life Tables; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014139:Tracheostomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome