Supraglottic laryngectomy: functional and oncologic results

Between January 1980 and December 1989, 110 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the supraglottis were treated with supraglottic laryngectomy and neck dissection. The stage distribution was stage I 23%, II 34%, III 15%, and IV 28%. Adjuvant radiotherapy (5,000 to 6,500 cGy) was given to all pN+cases. All patients were followed until death or for a minimum of 36 months, with an average of 65 months. Decannulation was achieved in 96% of the cases, with only 1 patient undergoing total laryngectomy because of aspiration. The average hospital stay was 22 days. Arytenoid edema was a frequent cause of delayed decannulation in patients undergoing radiotherapy. The overall 3-year survival was 78%, with 10 patients dying of unrelated causes. Local control was 94.6% and regional control was 83.6%. No significant difference was found in survival according to T stage, but survival rate was significantly influenced by N stage.