Treatment results and prognostic factors of advanced T3--4 laryngeal carcinoma: the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Stanford University Hospital (SUH) experience.
OBJECTIVE
To review the UCSF-SUH experience in the treatment of advanced T3--4 laryngeal carcinoma and to evaluate the different factors affecting locoregional control and survival.


METHODS
We reviewed the records of 223 patients treated for T3--4 squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx between October 1, 1957, and December 1, 1999. There were 187 men and 36 women, with a median age of 60 years (range, 28--85 years). The primary site was glottic in 122 and supraglottic in 101 patients. We retrospectively staged the patients according to the 1997 AJCC staging system. One hundred and twenty-seven patients had T3 lesions, and 96 had T4 lesions; 132 had N0, 29 had N1, 45 had N2, and 17 had N3 disease. The overall stage was III in 93 and IV in 130 patients. Seventy-nine patients had cartilage involvement, and 144 did not. Surgery was the primary treatment modality in 161 patients, of which 134 had postoperative radiotherapy (RT), 11 had preoperative RT, 7 had surgery followed by RT and chemotherapy (CT), and 9 had surgery alone. Forty-one patients had RT alone, and 21 had CT with RT. Locoregional control (LRC) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan--Meier method. Log-rank statistics were employed to identify significant prognostic factors for OS and LRC.


RESULTS
The median follow-up was 41 months (range, 2--367 months) for all patients and 78 months (range, 6--332 months) for alive patients. The LRC rate was 69% at 5 years and 68% at 10 years. Eighty-four patients relapsed, of which 53 were locoregional failures. Significant prognostic factors for LRC on univariate analysis were primary site, N stage, overall stage, the lowest hemoglobin (Hgb) level during RT, and treatment modality. Favorable prognostic factors for LRC on multivariate analysis were lower N stage and primary surgery. The overall survival rate was 48% at 5 years and 34% at 10 years. Significant prognostic factors for OS on univariate analysis were: primary site, age, overall stage, T stage, N stage, lowest Hgb level during RT, and treatment modality. Favorable prognostic factors for OS on multivariate analysis were lower N stage and higher Hgb level during RT.


CONCLUSIONS
Lower N-stage was a favorable prognostic factor for LRC and OS. Hgb levels > or = 12.5 g/dL during RT was a favorable prognostic factor for OS. Surgery was a favorable prognostic factor for LRC but did not impact on OS. Correcting the Hbg level before and during treatment should be investigated in future clinical trials as a way of improving therapeutic outcome in patients with advanced laryngeal carcinomas.
Nguyen-Tan
P F
PF
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. felix.nguyen.chum@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
Le
Q T
QT
Quivey
J M
JM
Singer
M
M
Terris
D J
DJ
Goffinet
D R
DR
Fu
K K
KK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D015993:Life Tables; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000453:epidemiology; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006454:Hemoglobins; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil