Transoral laser microsurgery for untreated glottic carcinoma

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Head and Neck Surgery
• Oncology

Background:

• Glottic carcinoma treatment traditionally involves radiation or open surgery.
• Transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) offers a minimally invasive alternative.
• Evaluating the oncologic and functional outcomes of TLM is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) for untreated glottic carcinoma.
• To report oncologic outcomes, including local control and survival rates.
• To evaluate functional outcomes, such as laryngeal preservation and hospital stay.

Main Methods:

• A prospective case series analysis was conducted at two academic, tertiary referral centers.
• Seventy-six patients with untreated glottic carcinoma underwent TLM.
• Follow-up averaged 42 months, with Kaplan-Meier estimates for survival and control.

Main Results:

• The 5-year local control and disease-specific survival rates for T1 and T2 glottic carcinoma were high (90-93%).
• The overall laryngeal preservation rate was 95% (72 of 76 patients).
• TLM demonstrated low morbidity (3% major complications) and a short average hospital stay (2 days).

Conclusions:

• Transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) is a safe and effective treatment option for select cases of glottic carcinoma.
• Its low morbidity, mortality, and short hospitalization period make TLM an attractive therapeutic choice.
• TLM represents an emerging and valuable strategy in the management of laryngeal cancer.