Pre-operative short intensive radiation therapy of T3-T4 laryngeal carcinoma

A group of 33 patients with T3-T4 laryngeal carcinomas received in the period 1968 to 1972 pre-operative irradiation with 60Co followed by surgery. A total dose of 2 500 rad was given in 5 equal sesssions. The tumour free survival rates of these patients are compared to those of a comparable group of 57 patients receiving radiation therapy only. The overall results in the pre-operative group (64%) are superior to those in the group irradiated only. In glottic tumours the results were similar in both groups, but significantly superior in supraglottic tumours receiving pre-operative radiation therapy. The treatment schedule proposed is well-tolerated and surgery is usually performed before the onset of reaction.