Treatment Results of Laser Cordectomy and Radiation Therapy for Early Glottic Cancer

Park, Ji Hoon; Paeng, Jae Phil; Na, Hong Shik; Lim, Ki Jung; Kwon, Soon Young; Jung, Kwang Yoon; Choi, Jong Ouck

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Early glottic cancer can be effectively treated with conservation laryngeal surgery, radiation therapy, and endoscopic laser surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical results between laser cordectomy and radiation therapy for early glottic cancer and to evaluate the role of laser cordectomy. MATERIALS AND METHOD: From 1988 to 1998, 89 patients with T1-T2/N0 glottic cancer were treated initially with radiation therapy or laser cordectomy. There were 67 T1 and 22 T2 tumors. Fifty-two patients were treated by radiation therapy (RT), and thirty-seven patients were treated by endoscopic laser cordectomy. The method of primary treatment, local control rate, survival rate and larynx preservation were retrospectively evaluated.
RESULTS
With the median follow-up period of 48.2 months, the local control rates in laser cordectomy and radiation therapy were 88.9%, 89.7% for T1, and 90.0% and 61.5% for T2 tumors, respectively. The 3-year survival rate was 88.9% and 87.2% for T1 and 80.0% and 61.5% for T2. Larynx preservation rate was 83.4% in T1 and 70.0% in T2 patients. These results of laser cordectomy were superior to those treated by radiation therapy.
CONCLUSION
In T1b glottic cancer, radiation therapy gave better results than laser cordectomy, whereas for T2 glottic cancer, laser cordectomy was superior to radiation therapy in initial control of tumor. Compared with radiation therapy, laser cordectomy afforded a greater likelihood of larynx preservation and more options for further treatment in case of failure. We conclude that the laser cordectomy is a good surgical alternative for properly selected early glottic cancer.