[Surgery treatment of laryngeal carcinoma T1]

The early stage cancer of the glottis, including Tis, T1a and T1b stages, are the most common forms with the incidence rates ranging from 25% to 85%. The therapy of early glottic cancer is usually successful for two reasons. First, true glottic cancer produces early symptoms and it is relatively easy to remove. Second, glottis is rather poor with lymph pathways so the regional metastases are rare, less than 1%. Due to role of the larynx in phonation, respiration and swallowing, the cancer of this region and its treatment has a great impact to the quality of life. Retrospective study involved ten-year period, from January 1990 to January 2004. At the Institute for Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Clinical Center of Serbia, 858 surgical and 54 endoscopic CO2 laser-assisted resections were performed for glottic cancers of larynx of Tis-T2 stages. Glottic tumors were treated by Types III, IV and Va chordectomies according to classificaiton of endoscopic chordectomy defined by the European Laryngological Society. Analyzing the operated patients, as well as the type of the applied surgery, that is, endoscopic-laser and classic surgery, the authors attempted to clarify the dilemmas relating to the indications for one or another type of surgical intervention. The patients who had undergone primary radiotherapy were excluded from the analysis.