Primary radiation therapy for early glottic cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Early glottic squamous cell carcinoma can be effectively treated with either radiation or surgical intervention. We evaluated our experience treating early glottic cancer with primary radiation therapy and our vertical hemilaryngectomy (VHL) salvage experience.


METHODS
Retrospectively, patient records between January 1986 and December 1994 were reviewed and 45 patients with early glottic squamous cell carcinoma who received full-course radiation therapy at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation were identified.


RESULTS
Local control after radiation therapy was 80% overall, 87.5% for T1 lesions, and 75% for T2 lesions. Four patients underwent VHL for salvage after local recurrence; 1 was successfully salvaged with VHL. Five patients underwent total laryngectomy salvage after radiation therapy; all were successful. Only 1 of the 6 patients who were originally candidates for VHL before radiation therapy was successfully salvaged with the larynx preserved.


CONCLUSIONS
Our local control rates using primary radiation therapy are consistent with prior published series, but voice sparing salvage is poor.
Department of Otolaryngology and Communicative Disorders, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA.
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Esclamado
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005931:Glottis; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome