The management dilemmas of invasive subglottic carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a single centre's experience with subglottic laryngeal carcinoma.


METHODS
The laryngeal cancer database at the Prince of Wales Hospital was sourced to define a sub-population of patients presenting with primary subglottic carcinoma. Excluded from the analysis were patients having a glottic origin for their carcinoma and secondarily involving the subglottis.


RESULTS
Of 969 patients with newly diagnosed laryngeal cancer, 10 (1%) had subglottic origin. T stage was six T2 and four T3, all were N0. A total laryngectomy was carried out in five patients, four of whom had postoperative radiotherapy, a hemilaryngectomy in one patient and definitive radiotherapy in four patients. There was only one local failure, who could not be salvaged, and one patient died locally controlled with metastatic disease. Thus, local control was achieved in nine of 10 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Although an infrequent sub-population, subglottic carcinoma has a high likelihood of being locally controlled.
Department of Radiation Oncology, The Prince of Wales Cancer Centre, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia. robert.smee@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au
R I
RI
Smee
J R
JR
Williams
G P
GP
Bridger
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005931:Glottis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D007825:Laryngectomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016896:Treatment Outcome