title: Hypopharyngeal cancer treatment based on definitive radiotherapy: who is suitable for laryngeal preservation?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate prognostic factors for survival and locoregional control in patients with stage I-IVA hypopharyngeal cancer treated with laryngeal preservation radiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a retrospective analysis of 108 patients with stage I-IVA squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, treated with laryngeal preservation radiotherapy. Actuarial survival, disease-specific survival and local relapse-free survival were calculated, and multivariate analyses were performed using Cox's proportional hazards model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a median follow-up duration of 39 months, the five-year local relapse-free survival rate was 35 per cent for all patients, 66 per cent for those with stage I-II disease, 46 per cent for those with stage III disease and 20 per cent for those with stage IVA disease (p = 0.004). Multivariate analyses showed that tumour and node stages were independent prognostic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with stage I-II disease were suitable for laryngeal preservation radiotherapy. For most patients with stage III-IVA disease, other than those who were T1 N1 or T2 N1, the treatment results were poor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Therapy, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. vincent1680616@yahoo.com.tw
authors.forename: S-W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: M-H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: S-N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: J-A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: A-C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Shiau
authors.forename: F-J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D018579:Patient Selection; D011379:Prognosis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage / Q000592:standards; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards