[Laryngeal cancer in patients younger than 40 years]

We undertook this study to report demographic data of laryngeal cancer patients <40 years old and treatment results.

In a retrolective study we reviewed the clinical records of 500 patients with laryngeal cancer in the period from 1989 to 2004 and included those patients<40 years of age.

We found 15 patients, representing 4.4% of the series. Nine (60%) were men and six (40%) were women, with a 1.5:1 ratio. Average group age was 35 years (range 21-40 and median of 37 months). Average time of evolution at the time of diagnosis was 14.4 months (range 0-36 and median of 12 months); 60% of the patients were smokers and 40% admitted to drinking alcohol; dysphonia was the main symptom found in 87% of the patients. The most frequent location was the glottis in 11 (73%) patients. Well-differentiated tumors represented 53% of the cases. Initial treatment was surgery in four (27%) patients; radiotherapy in five (33%) patients receiving an average of 63.44 Gy; concomitant chemoradiotherapy in one patient (7%) using gemcitabine; four (27%) patients were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy; and one patient did not receive treatment. The average time in which the patients relapsed after the first treatment was 19.57 months (range 2-63) and four were classified as persistent. Survival time was 32 months (range 2-106 and median 27 months). Finally, organ preservation rate was obtained in 28.5%.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx is rare in patients<40 years old in our study. Gender relation seems to be equal, although a slight predominance of men does still exist. Classical risk factors were present in 60% of the cases. Prognosis for these patients was determined by the initial clinical stage.