Larynx Organ Preservation in Patients with Hypopharyngeal-Laryngeal Cancer

Salvatore Conticello, Andrea Fulcheri, Salvatore Aversa, Gabriella Gorzegno, Alessio Petrelli, Giuseppe Malinverni, Simona Allis, Pietro Gabriele, Cristina Ondolo, Maria Grazia Ruo Redda

Department of Medical Oncology, University of Turin, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Turin, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Department of Radiotherapy, Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, Turin, Italy.
Epidemiology Unit, Turin, Italy.
Radiation Oncology Unit, University of Turin, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, Turin, Italy.

DOI: 10.4236/ijohns.2013.21008                

Abstract

Object: The therapeutic options for advanced laryngeal-hypopharyngeal cancer have broadened in the last decades, in the attempt to cure the cancer sparing laryngeal functions and to improve quality of life (functional surgery, chemo- radiotherapy, combined therapy). Methods: We propose a single-centre based retrospective study on the results of the treatment of larynx-hypopharynx cancer on the basis of the different therapies offered, focusing on advanced-stage cancers. Among 146 patients with laryngeal-hypopharyngeal cancer treated in the period 1999-2006, we focused on 64 patients with advanced stage resectable cancer. In the larynx cancer group ?n = 40-, 32 patients had surgery and 8 patients had CT-RT (refusal of laryngectomy or relative contraindications to surgery). In the hypopharynx cancer group ?n = 24-, 16 patients underwent surgery and 8 patients had CT-RT. The outcome measure considered has been overall survival. Results: Larynx cancer group. Overall survival: after surgery we observed a 3-year survival of 62%, and a 5-year survival of 44%, while after CT-RT we had a 3-year survival of 25% and a 5-year survival of 12%. Hypopharynx cancer group. Overall survival: surgery: 3-year survival: 40%, 5-year survival 32%; CT-RT: 3-year survival: 50%, 5-year survival: 34%. Conclusion: The results emphasize the use of larynx-preserving approaches for appropriately selected patients without a compromise in survival; in our case series, surgery had better outcome than CT-RT in advanced-stage larynx cancer; whilst no significant differences were observed in the treatment of hypopharynx cancer.

Keywords

Advanced Laryngeal-Hypopharyngeal Cancer; Survival; Surgery; Combined Therapy; Chemoradiotherapy

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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