[Evaluation of late results of laryngeal cancer treatment with the use of polymer endoprostheses].

Application of biocompatible polymer-based endoprostheses (EG 1-4, TS 42-2-476-85) for the treatment of laryngeal cancer made it possible to achieve good oncological outcome in the late postoperative period and ensured high-quality functional rehabilitation of the patients. The estimated 3-year survival rate following endoprosthetic treatment amounted to 73.9%, 5-year survival rate was 67.6%, and 10-year survival rate 58.7%. Objective assessment of voice rehabilitation with the use of the <> software package (Windows 98, 2000, XP) demonstrated restoration of the vocal function in 70% of the patients while the remaining 30% were able to communicate by whisper speech. Resection of the larynx in patients with its stage II-III cancer in combination with the use of polymer endoprostheses yielded good oncological results and ensured the high rate of vocal function rehabilitation.

[Clinical aspects of tracheostomy as a stage of anterolateral laryngeal resection].

We analysed medical histories of 68 patients with T2-3N0M0 laryngeal cancer who had received combined or surgical treatment. All the patients given the organ preservation treatment were divided into two groups one of which included 36 patients after laryngeal resection without tracheostomy, the other consisted of 32 patients who had undergone laryngectomy with tracheostomy (control). The two groups were matched for age and sex of the patients, the degree of advancement and histological structure of the tumour, its growth rate and localization, dose and schedule of radiotherapy, extent of surgical intervention. The data obtained were used to analyse oncological and functional outcomes of the treatment. Oncological result was estimated based on the survival rate expressed in percentage terms.