Radiation treatment of T1-T4 squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx: A retrospective analysis and long-term follow-up of 135 patients

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term outcome of radiation therapy for patients with histologically verified squamous cell glottic carcinoma. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was performed on patients who had received radiation treatment at the Department of Oncology Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden, between 1978 and 1987. Patients with a documented follow-up for at least five years, or to time of death, were studied. Radiation treatment was delivered utilising daily fractions of 1.8-2.0 over 6-7 weeks, totalling 60-70 Gy. Patients whose tumours were not controlled by radiation therapy, or whose tumours recurred, were offered surgical intervention. Results: The study included 135 patients. Five-year survival rates adjusted to death due to laryngeal carcinoma were: T1, 95%; T2, 87%; T3, 72% and T4, 25%. Conclusion: Primary radiotherapy achieves a high rate of cure for T1-T2 laryngeal carcinoma. Tumour-related morbidity and death continued beyond the standard five-year follow-up, especially for patients with T1/T2 laryngeal carcinomas.