title: Prognostic value of the status of resection margins after endoscopic laser cordectomy for T1a glottic carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The small size of endoscopic laser cordectomy (ELC) specimens frequently leads the histopathologist to assess excision margins as pathologic. The present study sought to assess the prognostic value of margin status in terms of overall and of recurrence-free survival in a population of T1a glottic carcinoma operated on by ELC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four records of T1a squamous-cell carcinoma treated between 1996 and 2006 were retrospectively analyzed. Overall and recurrence-free survival for the group with negative margins (group 1) and with positive margins (group 2) were analyzed following Kaplan-Meier. The influence of resection margin histologic status was assessed on Log Rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six female and 58 male patients were included. Forty (62.5%) had negative margins (group 1) and 24 (37.5%) positive margins (group 2). Overall five-year survival was 97% (95% in group 1 and 100% in group 2). Five-year recurrence-free survival was 94% (91.7% in group 1 and 95% in group 2). There was no significant difference in overall or recurrence-free survival according to resection margin histologic status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results show that margins considered positive after laser resection do not significantly impact carcinologic course, while still requiring close surveillance. The most generally recommended attitude is control endoscopy with biopsy at 10 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Service ORL et chirurgie cervicofaciale, AP-HM, CHU La Timone, 264, rue St-Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex, France. justin.michel@ap-hm.fr
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fakhry
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duflo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lagier
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dessi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giovanni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005931:Glottis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000601:surgery