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Objective: To determine oncological and functional outcomes in patients with T3 and T4 laryngeal carcinoma, in which choice of treatment was based on expected laryngeal function and not T classification. Methods: Oncological outcomes (disease-specific survival and overall survival) as well as functional outcomes (larynx preservation and functional larynx preservation) were analysed. Results: In 130 T3 and 59 T4 patients, there was no difference in disease-specific survival or overall survival rates after radiotherapy (RT) (107 patients), chemoradiotherapy (36 patients) and total laryngectomy (46 patients). The five-year disease-specific survival rates were 83 per cent after RT, 78 per cent after chemoradiotherapy and 69 per cent after total laryngectomy, whereas overall survival rates were 62, 54 and 60 per cent, respectively. Five-year larynx preservation and functional larynx preservation rates were comparable for RT (79 and 66 per cent, respectively) and chemoradiotherapy (86 and 62 per cent, respectively). Conclusion: There is no difference in oncological outcome after (chemo)radiotherapy or total laryngectomy in T3 and T4 laryngeal carcinoma patients whose choice of treatment was based on expected laryngeal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A pathological communication between the trachea and oesophagus – a tracheoesophageal fistula – may be congenital or acquired, benign or malignant, necessitating a multidisciplinary approach. Conservative attempts at closure of this abnormal connection are ineffective; the interposition of healthy vascular tissue offers the least chance of recurrence. Methods: Outcomes of an islanded fasciocutaneous internal mammary artery perforator flap applied for tracheoesophageal fistula management were assessed in four radiated patients with laryngeal carcinoma using retrospective records. Results: Four male patients, with an average age of 60.75 years, underwent tracheoesophageal fistula closure between September 2017 and February 2021. A left-sided second internal mammary artery perforator flap was used in all cases, with an average dimension of 10.5 × 4.5 cm. There were no complications of tracheoesophageal leak, flap issues or donor site morbidity on follow up. Conclusion: Recent advances in angiosomal territory mapping and microvascular dissection techniques, combined with an understanding of tracheoesophageal fistula pathology, have changed management perspectives in these difficult-to-treat patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the long-term functional outcomes in patients who received primary radiotherapy for tumour–node stage T2N0 glottic carcinoma, stratified for tumour extension. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on patients who were treated with radiotherapy for T2N0 glottic carcinoma. Four questionnaires were used to measure different aspects of functional outcome. In addition, objective evaluation and perceptual analysis were performed. Results: Fourteen patients were included in this study. The median time between the start of radiotherapy and assessment was 42 months (range, 26–143 months). Patients reported high-level functioning, with low symptom scores and good swallowing function, and showed a median dysphonia grade of 1.5. The median Voice Handicap Index-30 score was 17.5. Conclusion: Patients with T2N0 glottic carcinoma treated with radiotherapy had good long-term quality of life, with low symptom scores, good swallowing functioning and slightly elevated voice outcome parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Current evidence suggests there is no difference between endoscopic laser surgery and radiotherapy with regards to oncological outcomes of early laryngeal cancer. Patient management may therefore be directed towards voice and quality of life outcomes. This systematic review compares functional outcomes with respect to voice character, swallowing outcomes and quality of life for endoscopic laser surgery versus radiotherapy for T1 and T2 stage laryngeal carcinoma. Method: Search terminology was designed by both authors and used in Cochrane, PubMed and Web of Science databases. Studies of adult patients treated for primary T1 and T2 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma utilising one objective (validated) measure of quality of life, swallowing or voice were included. Results: Initial searches identified 1767 studies. After inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, 42 studies were identified for full-text review. Conclusion: This review concluded that neither treatment is clearly advantageous. Future research should be composed of further prospective studies that use a standardised assessment regime to allow valid comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of salvage total laryngectomy and identify areas for further improvement. Method: A retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent salvage total laryngectomy between January 1999 and December 2018 was performed. Results: Thirty-one patients were identified. The most common primary tumour site was the glottis (83.8 per cent). Early stage (T1–T2) disease was identified in 83.9 per cent of cases. Overall survival at 2 and 5 years post-salvage total laryngectomy was 71 per cent and 45 per cent, respectively. Disease-free survival at 2 and 5 years post-salvage total laryngectomy was 65 per cent and 42 per cent, respectively. The rate of post-salvage total laryngectomy pharyngocutaneous fistula was 29 per cent. Conclusion: More than half of patients will not survive beyond five years after salvage total laryngectomy. Regional recurrence was the most common form of failure and death. From this study, elective lateral and central neck dissection is advocated in patients with early laryngeal cancer who present with an advanced recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Wide-ranging outcomes have been reported for surgical and non-surgical management of T3 laryngeal carcinomas. This study compared the outcomes of T3 tumours treated with laryngectomy or (chemo)radiotherapy in the northeast of England. Methods: The outcomes of T3 laryngeal carcinoma treatment at three centres (2007–2016) were retrospectively analysed using descriptive statistics and survival curves. Results: Of 179 T3 laryngeal carcinomas, 68 were treated with laryngectomies, 57 with chemoradiotherapy and 32 with radiotherapy. There was no significant five-year survival difference between treatment with laryngectomy (34.1 per cent) and chemoradiotherapy (48.6 per cent) (p = 0.184). The five-year overall survival rate for radiotherapy (12.5 per cent) was significantly inferior compared to laryngectomy and chemoradiotherapy (p = 0.003 and p < 0.001, respectively). The recurrence rates were 22.1 per cent for laryngectomy, 17.5 per cent for chemoradiotherapy and 50 per cent for radiotherapy. There were significant differences in recurrence rates when laryngectomy (p = 0.005) and chemoradiotherapy (p = 0.001) were compared to radiotherapy. Conclusion: Laryngectomy and chemoradiotherapy had significantly higher five-year overall survival and lower recurrence rates compared with radiotherapy alone. Laryngectomy should be considered in patients unsuitable for chemotherapy, as it may convey a significant survival advantage over radiotherapy alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thyroid lobectomy is recommended with total laryngectomy for laryngeal cancer in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network ('NCCN') guidelines. However, it is associated with a 32–89 per cent risk of hypothyroidism, with or without adjuvant radiotherapy. Objective: The study aimed to determine whether preserving the whole thyroid, compared to a single lobe, does indeed significantly lower the incidence of hypothyroidism in the setting of total laryngectomy. Method: A retrospective study was conducted at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. Results: Eighty-four patients met the inclusion criteria. The overall incidence of hypothyroidism was 45.2 per cent. The incidence of hypothyroidism was significantly reduced in patients who underwent thyroid-sparing total laryngectomy compared to hemithyroidectomy (p = 0.037). Adjuvant radiotherapy was associated with a higher incidence of hypothyroidism (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Thyroid-preserving laryngectomy should be advocated in carefully selected patients with advanced laryngeal carcinoma, as it reduces the incidence of hypothyroidism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess published reports of oncological surgical success rates in patients who underwent transoral laser supraglottic surgery and robotic surgery for supraglottic cancer. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted and a meta-analysis of published data was performed. PubMed, Sage, Medline and Cochrane data sources were investigated. Overall survival rates, disease-specific survival rates, additional treatments and recurrence rates were investigated to determine the success of the surgical procedures. Results: The meta-analysis included 24 studies; 1617 studies were excluded. There were no statistically significant differences between the transoral laser supraglottic surgery and transoral robotic supraglottic surgery groups in terms of overall survival (77.0 per cent and 82.4 per cent respectively) and disease-specific survival (75.8 per cent and 87.0 per cent respectively). There was recurrence in 164 out of 832 patients (19.7 per cent) in the transoral laser supraglottic surgery group and in only 6 out of 66 patients (9 per cent) in the transoral robotic supraglottic surgery group. Conclusion: Transoral laser surgery and robotic surgery appear to have comparable and acceptable oncological success rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:This study aimed to assess the influence of supra- and subglottic extensions and vocal fold mobility on outcome in a large monocentric cohort of 148 patients treated for tumour–node–metastasis stage T2N0 glottic carcinomas.Methods:In all, 107 glottic carcinoma patients had normal vocal fold mobility (T2aN0), and 41 had impaired vocal fold mobility (T2bN0). Treatment decisions were made by a multidisciplinary team.Results:Vocal fold mobility was associated with overall survival, disease-free survival, local control, larynx preservation and laryngectomy-free survival. For patients with T2a lesions, local control, laryngectomy-free survival and disease-free survival improved after surgery but overall survival did not. For patients with T2b lesions, local control, laryngectomy-free survival, disease-free survival and overall survival were all higher after surgery than after radiotherapy.Conclusion:This study highlights for the first time the importance of vocal fold mobility in treatment outcomes and is the first to assess its influence on survival. Updated tumour–node–metastasis classifications should consider the distinction between T2a and T2b lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective:This study aimed to report our current practice of transoral laser microsurgery for early glottic cancer against the standards outlined by the ENT UK Head and Neck Group and assess the oncological outcome.Method:A retrospective review of case notes of patients diagnosed with early glottic cancer (tumour stages Tis, T1 and T2) who underwent transoral laser microsurgery as a primary curative treatment. The minimum follow-up period was two years.Results:Thirty-one patients had transoral laser microsurgery for early glottic cancer during the study period. Eighty-four per cent of cases were discussed by a multidisciplinary team prior to transoral laser microsurgery. Complete circumferential excision was achieved in 77 per cent of cases. Sixty-five per cent of specimens were subjected to histological analysis; they complied with standard pathology reporting for margins. Within 12 months of transoral laser microsurgery, there were 10 residual cases and 2 recurrences. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis gave disease-free survival rates of 96.8 per cent at 18 months and 93.5 per cent at 24 months. The laryngectomy-free survival rate was 96.8 per cent at two years.Conclusion:The findings of this audit are encouraging and have highlighted areas for further discussions, recommendations, training and education. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives:A multidisciplinary team approach is required for the preservation of voice and appropriate management of glottic cancer. This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of surgically treated glottic cancers of all stages. All aspects of surgical management, such as laser cordectomy, partial laryngectomy, total laryngectomy with voice prosthesis, and salvage laryngectomy, conducted at a single tertiary care institute in India, were reviewed.Method:A retrospective analysis of hospital records was performed for 192 glottic cancer patients who were surgically treated between 2003 and 2007.Results:Patients with tumour stages 1 or 2 glottic cancer treated with laser cordectomy had a local control rate of 85 per cent and five-year survival rate of 98.6 per cent. The findings suggest that the number of partial laryngectomies performed for stage 3 tumours is declining. Patients with a tumour stage 3 lesion with a fixed hemilarynx or a tumour stage 4 lesion, treated with total laryngectomy, were found to have a five-year survival rate of 61.6 per cent. Nodal status was significantly associated with five-year survival rate.Conclusion:Surgery offers a viable five-year survival rate in glottic cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background:Treatment for advanced laryngeal cancer includes surgery, and/or chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy. Each of these treatments results in major changes to the swallowing mechanism. Dysphagia is strongly correlated with poorer quality of life. A good understanding of outcomes is needed for well-informed treatment decisions.Method:This study reports on patients' swallowing outcomes following surgical and non-surgical treatments based on the results of three different swallowing tests. A total of 123 data sets were collected in out-patient clinics across two hospitals in North East England.Results:There were no significant differences between treatment groups for patient-reported swallowing outcomes or swallowing performance. However, patients who had undergone chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy (with or without laryngectomy) had significantly more diet restrictions than other groups.Conclusion:Long-term dysphagia is a common outcome of treatment for advanced laryngeal cancer. Patients treated with chemoradiotherapy and laryngectomy reported the worst overall outcomes. More longitudinal prospective research with large treatment groups is needed to investigate swallowing outcomes following different treatment methods. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective:To report and discuss the outcome of a treatment algorithm for patients with tumour stage 1 glottic squamous cell carcinoma.Method:A retrospective outcome analysis study was performed using data from a tertiary referral centre.Results:Sixty-nine patients were treated with radiotherapy and 26 with surgery, in accordance with the treatment algorithm. Five-year overall survival rates were the same for both treatment groups (92 per cent). Five-year disease-specific survival rates were 100 per cent for surgery, 98 per cent for radiotherapy and 99 per cent overall. The overall 5-year laryngeal preservation rate was 89.1 per cent, being 95.7 per cent for surgery patients and 86.7 per cent for radiotherapy patients (p = 0.502). There was no significant association between laryngeal preservation rates and age (p = 0.779), anterior commissure involvement (p = 0.081), tumour stage (1a or 1b) (p = 0.266) or treatment modality (surgery or radiotherapy; p = 0.220). There was no significant difference in local recurrence rates between the two treatment groups (19.3 per cent for radiotherapy vs 10.0 per cent for surgery; p = 0.220). The overall 5-year regional recurrence rate was 1.2 per cent.Conclusion:Tumour stage 1 glottic carcinoma can be managed with different treatment modalities, following an individualised treatment algorithm, with results comparable to published outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective:To report our outcomes with salvage CO2 laser surgery following recurrence of laryngeal and oropharyngeal cancer after radiotherapy.Method:This study entailed a prospective review of patients treated with transoral laser microsurgery for recurrent laryngeal and oropharyngeal cancer between 2002 and 2010 at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Science Centre in Canada.Results:Sixteen patients were identified, with a mean follow up of 30.6 months. Five patients died of recurrence. Complications were common in patients with oropharyngeal cancer. The overall survival and disease-free survival rates at an average of 29.8 months follow up were 50 per cent and 68.8 per cent respectively.Conclusion:Salvage surgery using transoral laser microsurgery should be considered in the management of patients with recurrent laryngeal and oropharyngeal cancer. This technique offers acceptable salvage rates with less comorbidity than other treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives:Dissection of neck levels I and IIB is time-consuming and can cause comorbidity. This study aimed to determine whether level I and IIB neck dissection was necessary in patients with laryngeal cancer and clinically detectable or nondetectable neck nodes.Patients and methods:This was a retrospective review of 73 patients with laryngeal cancer. Essential clinical data were obtained and analysed to determine the incidence of neck node metastasis in levels I and IIB.Results:Of the 48 patients with no clinically apparent neck nodes, none had level I metastases and only one had level IIB metastases. Of the patients with clinically detectable neck nodes, three of 21 patients had level I metastases and three of 25 patients had level IIB metastases; these six patients also had additional metastases in level IIA.Conclusion:Dissection of neck levels I and IIB is justifiable in laryngeal cancer patients with clinically detectable neck nodes and suspicious lymph nodes in the respective level or level IIA. However, in patients without clinically detectable neck nodes, preservation of levels I and IIB is oncologically safe, economical and reduces the risk of comorbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]