title: Transoral laser microsurgery outcomes with early glottic cancer: the Dalhousie University experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the results of transoral laser microsurgery for the treatment of early glottic cancer at our institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort study. Retrospective review of charts of patients diagnosed with tumour stage 1 or 2 (early stage; no nodes or metastases), previously untreated, primary glottic cancer, treated with transoral laser microsurgery at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The minimum follow-up period was two years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary care head and neck cancer centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-three patients treated between January 2002 and November 2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  Kaplan-Meier survival analysis for disease-free survival, overall survival and laryngectomy-free survival, at five years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The group comprised 46 men and seven women, with a mean age of 66 years (range 30-84 years). Mean follow up was 40 months (range 12-89 months). There were four cases of complications (7.5 per cent). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a five-year disease-free survival (including salvage) of 96.2 per cent, a five-year overall survival (all causes) of 88.8 per cent and a five-year laryngectomy-free survival of 98.1 per cent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transoral laser microsurgery is a safe and effective initial treatment for early laryngeal cancer, and has high rates of laryngeal preservation and disease-free survival.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Dalhousie University, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. shanelester@nhs.net
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Lester
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rigby
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005931:Glottis; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D054020:Lasers, Gas; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000453:epidemiology; D057240:Patient Preference; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014833:Voice Quality