Partial laryngectomy as salvage surgery for radiation failures in T1–T2 laryngeal cancer

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy is the treatment of choice for early glottic carcinoma. Thirteen percent to 24% of patients require salvage surgery. To evaluate time of recurrence, site, and locoregional control, we retrospectively reviewed 29 patients treated from 1981 to 1996. METHODS: There were 28 men and 1 woman. Mean age was 63 years. Twenty were T1 (69%) and 9 were T2 (31%). Median time of recurrence was 14.5 months. In 14 patients (52%), a partial laryngectomy was done, and 13 patients had a total laryngectomy. Two refused surgery. RESULTS: One patient relapsed after salvage surgery. Five-year survival after salvage surgery was 92%, with no difference between partial and total laryngectomy (p = 0.2). CONCLUSIONS: Recurrences after failure to radiotherapy in T1-T2 glottic carcinoma could be salvaged with partial laryngectomy in 52% of patients, preserving laryngeal function, with adequate tumor control and acceptable morbidity. The selection of the surgical procedure is based on the tumor extension.