Transoral Robotic Surgery for Early Glottic Carcinoma Involving Anterior Commissure: Preliminary Reports

Background: Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for early glottic cancer has been reported, but the issue of anterior commissure involvement has seldom been addressed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to preliminarily report the treatment results of TORS in this disease entity.

Methods: Eight patients with T1 and T2 glottic carcinoma with anterior commissure involvement were selected to receive TORS. The clinical parameters, including rates of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT), survivals, as well as organ and function preservation, were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: TORS was successfully performed in all patients without temporary tracheostomy. There were no major complications and no patient received adjuvant RT to the larynx after surgery. With a mean follow-up of 40 months, all patients survived with their larynx preserved and no local recurrence, tracheostomy, or tube feeding dependence.

Conclusion: TORS is a feasible approach for selected patients with early T classification glottic carcinoma with anterior commissure involvement. The preliminary oncologic and functional outcomes are satisfactory. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: 913-918, 2016.