Recurrence of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma in patients undergoing organ preservation therapy: are there symptoms associated with recurrence?

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The larynx is a organ of the upper aerodigestive tract that plays an essential role in protecting the airways during swallowing. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common malignant neoplasm affecting this region and early diagnosis has an important role in treatment outcome. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate whether patients with hypopharyngeal and/or laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) who underwent organ preservation therapy (OPT) present at the time of relapse some factor that determines the local recurrence of the disease. Methods: Patients submitted to OPT were selected at the Cancer Institute of the State of São Paulo (ICESP), at the end of treatment, from January 2012 to December 2017. We collected retrospective data on demographics, clinical staging, location of the primary tumor, presence or absence of recurrence, weight and percentage of weight loss at different moments, alimentary pathway and symptomatology at the time of relapse. Results: The absence of symptoms was associated with the absence of relapse (p <0.001). Fully oral diet at the last visit was a significant factor for the absence of relapse (p = 0.005). The weight comparison of all the patients before the beginning of OPT and after the end of the treatment, showed an average drop of 3.4 kg. In the group-separated analysis, patients who did not recur showed an average loss of 0.7%. Patients with relapse, showed a loss of 2.0% of the weight at the time of relapse. Conclusion: Weight loss and the presence of symptoms were important predictors of recurrence with statistical significance. These factors may help to better manage these patients, with earlier investigations and, therefore, the possibility of rescue treatments with a shorter duration.