title: Primary and salvage total laryngectomy. Influential factors, complications, and survival.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this retrospective study we analysed patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and hypopharynx treated with primary total laryngectomy (PTL) between 1990 and 2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients were treated by classical PTL, radiotherapy 60-70 Gy, concomitant radio and chemotherapy (cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil) or salvage total laryngectomy (STL). They were followed up for 5 years and complications, survival, residual/recurrent disease and metastases were registered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  STL after previous radiotherapy (STL-pRT), and after chemoradiotherapy (STL-pCTRT) caused more frequent local complications than PTL. Five-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate was significantly influenced by TNM stage and localization of the primary laryngeal tumor. For laryngeal cancer it was: 61.3% for PTL, 54.1% for STL-pC-TRT, and 47.6% for STL-pRT. Incomplete responders to initial treatment had low survival rate. PTL for hypopharyngeal carcinoma and particularly salvage laryngectomy after chemoradiotherapy were associated with more frequent local complications. The 5-year DFS for hypopharyngeal cancer was lower than for laryngeal cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTL still offers the best survival rate with low complications for advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. STL causes more frequent local complications, especially after chemoradiotherapy. Addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy increases the survival. Five-year DFS rate depends on TNM stage and localization of the primary tumor.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Otorhinolaryngology, University Clinical Center Nis, Serbia.
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stankovic
authors.forename: Dusan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Milisavljevic
authors.forename: Misko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zivic
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stojanov
authors.forename: Petar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stankovic
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck