A Clinical Study of the Laryngeal Cancer / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Laryngeal cancer is the most common malignancy in head and neck region. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical features and treatment outcomes of laryngeal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed medical records of 169 patients from 1984 to 1997 retrospectively. We investigated age, sex distribution, TNM staging in 169 patients and treatment modalities, survival rate in 141 patients who were treated. RESULTS: In all patients, there were 64 glottic, 57 supraglottic, 46 transglottic and 2 subglottic cancers. Among 141 patients, we performed 92 surgical procedures and 49 radiotherapies. Total and near total laryngectomy were performed in 45 cases and conservation laryngectomy in 47 cases. Five year survival rate (YSR) was 88.4% totally. In early cancer cases, 5 YSR was excellent in both surgery and radiotherapy group. Glottic and supraglottic cancer showed much better prognosis than transglottic cancer. There was no statistical differences in the view of 5 YSR between surgery and radiotherapy group. Treatment failures were mainly found at primary sites. Functional preservation of larynx was successful in 79 cases after 3 year-follow up. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with previous studies, our study presented higher proportion of conservation laryngectomy and functional preservation procedues. Early diagnosis and treatment are important and required to improve patient's outcome.