Regression after 50 Gy as a selection for therapy in advanced laryngeal cancer

Radiation alone for advanced laryngeal cancer will result in an initial local control rate of 50%. When a local recurrence is diagnosed, only 50% will be successfully salvaged by surgery. To identify patients with a high chance of local control with radiation alone in advanced laryngeal cancer, the clinical response following radiotherapy was assessed a few days after 50 Gy/5 weeks. In patients with T-stage reduction or greater than 50% tumor regression radiotherapy was continued, if not, laryngectomy was performed after 4-6 weeks. According to this protocol 30 patients (out of 50) with T3/T4 laryngeal cancer were treated. Initial local control was assessed 6 weeks after radiotherapy, the ultimate local control included successful salvage surgery. Initial local control in patients, treated with a full course of radiotherapy after T-stage reduction or greater than 50% tumor regression, was 69% for T3 and 43% for T4 while the ultimate local control rate was 85% and 71% respectively. Although the percentage of voice preservation in our study was slightly lower (40%) than data from literature with radiation alone, the ultimate local control was high and comparable with those of combined therapy (in which laryngectomy is a part). The corrected actuarial 5-year survival in all T3 and T4 patients treated with radiation alone and salvage surgery was 73% and 31% respectively and was not different compared to surgery with pre- or post-operative radiotherapy, 74% and 53% respectively. We believe that this protocol may select a favorable group of patients for high dose radiation alone in T3 and probably in T4 laryngeal cancer.