Early glottic carcinoma involving the anterior commissure

Between 1958 and 1990 67 patients with an early glottic carcinoma involving the anterior commissure were treated by radiotherapy. Excluding three with carcinoma in situ, 64 had a T1N0M0 squamous cell carcinoma; in eight of these (12.5%) the tumour was only located in the anterior commissure, in 45 (70.3%) it also involved one vocal cord and in 11 (17.2%) both vocal cords. The overall 5-year survival rate was 85%. For those with only anterior commissure involvement it was 60%, with involvement of one vocal cord and the anterior commissure it was 89% and with involvement of both vocal cords 82%. The 3-year recurrence rate was 58% for patients with involvement of only the anterior commissure, 24% with involvement also of one vocal cord, and 45% for those with involvement of both vocal cords. It was found that in cases of early glottic carcinoma, involving the anterior commissure and treated by radiotherapy, the prognosis for recurrence and survival was poorest when the carcinoma was only located in the anterior commissure, and it was concluded that this group of patients deserves special consideration.