title: Laryngeal tumor volume as a predictor for thyroid cartilage penetration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Review of laryngectomy specimens demonstrated that preoperative CT scanning is suboptimal in predicting both thyroid cartilage penetration and extralaryngeal spread. We investigated the association between the CT-based gross tumor volume (GTV) with pathologic evidence of thyroid cartilage penetration among patients undergoing laryngectomy for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-four patients were identified who underwent total laryngectomy for SCC of the larynx. GTV, as defined by preoperative diagnostic CT scan, was contoured and analyzed using treatment-planning software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 49 nonirradiated patients, the mean GTVs of patients with (n = 15) and without (n = 34) thyroid cartilage penetration was 60.1 and 28.0 cm(3) (p = .004). When the nonirradiated patients were divided into 3 GTV groups (≤25 cm(3), 25-50 cm(3), >50 cm(3)), the rates of thyroid cartilage penetration were 23%, 17%, and 78%, respectively (p = .003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laryngeal tumor volume is associated with pathologic evidence of thyroid cartilage penetration in nonirradiated patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322-1013, USA.
authors.forename: Svetlana S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kats
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aiken
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Hudgins
authors.forename: J Trad
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Wadsworth
authors.forename: Dong M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Fadlo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Khuri
authors.forename: Jonathan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Beitler
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D007830:Larynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013957:Thyroid Cartilage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D047368:Tumor Burden