A systematic review of current and emerging approaches in the field of larynx preservation

Treatment options targeting laryngeal preservation include conservative surgery, concurrent chemo-radiotherapy, induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by radiotherapy (RT), and alternating chemo-radiation. The goal of this paper was to perform a systematic review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on current and emerging approaches in the field of larynx preservation. The search identified 36 papers of which 27 did not fall within the inclusion criteria (i.e. non-RCTs). IC followed by RT has been shown to allow laryngeal preservation in about two-thirds of pts with locally advanced laryngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer without compromising survival. IC is regarded as the landmark treatment of non-surgical larynx preservation approaches. Concomitant and alternating chemoradiotherapy treatments are also acceptable in larynx preservation.