The better performance status, the better outcome: laryngeal carcinoma treated with definitive radiotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prognostic factors affecting locoregional control (LRC) and overall survival (OS) of patients with laryngeal carcinoma who were not candidates for surgical treatment due to tumour or host factors but were treated with definitive radiotherapy (RT).


METHODS
Sixty-three consecutive patients, treated with definitive RT between 1999 and 2005, were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had histologically proven squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx. The median age was 62 years (range 43-83 years). Follow-up ranged from 22 days to 68 months (median 32 months).


RESULTS
The LRC rates at 2 and 5 years were 70% and 48%. The 2- and 5-year OS rates were 65% and 40%. No statistically significant relationship was found between World Health Organization performance status score (WHO PS) and age (p=.21), tumour site (p=.42), overall stage (p=.11), T stage (p=.19), and N stage (p=.69). Multivariate analyses showed that a WHO PS score>or=2 (p<.0001) and RT treatment time>or=50 days (p=.0172) significantly decreased LRC. Moreover, a WHO PS score>or=2 (p<.0001), RT treatment time>or=50 days (p=.0138), and RT dose<66 Gy (p=.04) were significantly negative prognostic factors on OS.


CONCLUSIONS
Definitive RT, in patients with early- and more advanced-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, is an important treatment option. It is clear that patients with good pretreatment PS would get better results from definitive RT.
Yurut-Caloglu
Vuslat
V
Department of Radiation Oncology, Trakya University Hospital, Edirne, Turkey. caloglumurat@hotmail.com
Caloglu
Murat
M
Turan
Fatma Nesrin
FN
Ibis
Kamuran
K
Karagol
Hakan
H
Kocak
Zafer
Z
Uzal
Cem
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome