Retrospective Analysis of Factors Influencing Oncologic Outcome in 590 Patients with Early-intermediate Glottic Cancer Treated by Transoral Laser Microsurgery

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing oncologic outcomes for patients with early-intermediate glottic cancer treated by transoral laser microsurgery (TLM).

Methods: This was a retrospective mono-institutional study. A total of 590 patients with cTis-cT3 glottic cancer underwent TLM with curative intent.

Results: TLM alone was performed in 538 patients (91.2%) and TLM followed by adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) was done in 52 (8.8%). Five-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) and 10-year overall survival (OS) were 85.3% and 74.7%, respectively. The larynx-preservation ratio was 95.9%. In particular, from our data, we found that occult metastases were rare (1.2%); preventive tracheotomy was not necessary; the local recurrence rate of Tis was similar to that in the T2 and T3 group; and no major or lethal complications were observed.

Conclusion: Age (>60 vs ≤60), type of cordectomy (≥IV vs ≤III), status of margins, fixed arytenoid, and pathologic T classification, were the variables associated with RFS, OS, and organ-preservation rate. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Head Neck 39: 71-81, 2017.