[Evaluation of the efficiency of ERTL4/6 screening tests for language disorders for children with a 22q11 deletion]. / Etude de l'efficacité des epreuves de repérage de troubles de langage ERTL4/A6 sur des enfants porteurs d'une microdélétion 22q11.

OBJECTIVE: ERTL (Epreuves de Repérage de Troubles de Langage) tests have been designed as a screening test to detect rapidly language disorders. To evaluate the effectiveness of these tests, we have compared them to the form P (NEEL-P) tests for the examination of language in 6 children with a 22q11 microdeletion. MATERIALS AND METHOD: 6 children aged from 4 years and 4 months to 5 years and 4 months, 4 boys and 2 girls have been tested. These tests have been performed in two sessions lasting between 1 and 1 1/2 hour. RESULTS: They are consistent in both tests. ERTL has identified all the children with a disorder. CONCLUSION: These fast tests should be used more often to detect children requiring additional and more complex language and neuropsychological evaluations.

Comparison of external radiotherapy, laser microsurgery and partial laryngectomy for the treatment of T1N0M0 glottic carcinomas: a retrospective evaluation.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to retrospectively compare the efficacy and functional results of three treatment options for T1N0M0 glottic carcinomas applied in a single institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred six charts of patients with biopsy-proven T1N0M0 glottic carcinomas treated between 1979 and 1995 were reviewed. There were 81 T1a and 25 T1b tumors. Forty-one patients were treated by radiotherapy (RT) (median dose of 64 Gy), 34 patients were treated by partial laryngectomy (PL) and 31 patients were treated by laser microsurgery (L) of which 10 received postoperative RT for positive margins. In 18 patients, a perceptual voice rating on a visual scale was performed by the patients themselves, three non-speech specialists and two speech therapists. RESULTS: With a median follow-up time of 63.5 months, the 5- and 10-year loco-regional control probabilities reached 91 and 87%, respectively, without any difference between the treatment groups. After salvage laryngectomy, the 5- and 10-year loco-regional control probabilities reached 97% without any difference between the treatment groups. For the whole population, overall survival reached 78 and 62.4% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. The actuarial incidence of second primary reached 19% at 10 years. Regarding the quality of voice, overall there was a trend towards a worse satisfaction index, more hoarseness and more breathiness after PL than after L or RT. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggested that assuming proper selection of patients, RT and L yielded similar outcomes and functional results. Local recurrence can be adequately salvaged by surgery. On the other hand, PL appeared to yield similar loco-regional control probability but with a worse quality of voice.