T1 and T2 glottic squamous cell carcinoma: endoscopic laser surgery versus radiotherapy experience in a cancer center in Mexico
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/issn.2454-5929.ijohns20262372Keywords:
Early laryngeal cancer, Endoscopic, Laser, Microlaryngoscopy, Organ preservation, Recurrence, Radiotherapy, Survival, Surgery, Transoral approachAbstract
Background: Radiotherapy and endoscopic laser surgery (ELS) has been considered the primary treatment for laryngeal cancer. This study aims to compare ESL and radiotherapy in terms of organ preservation, disease-free survival, overall survival and cancer-specific survival.
Methods: A retrospective study using database of T1-T2 glottic cancer treated with radiotherapy and ELS. Disease-free survival, overall survival and cancer specific survival (CSS) for both groups according to Kaplan-Meier.
Results: 108 patients received radiotherapy and 98 patients underwent ELS were analyzed. Organ preservation rate was higher in the ELS group (88.8% vs 84.3%) p=NS. The percentage of patients alive without disease was higher in the ELS group (85.7% vs 58.3%) (p< 0.00). The five-year general OS rates were 93% and 91% in the ELS and radiotherapy group, respectively; while the ten-year OS rates were 93% and 63%, respectively. The five-year and ten-year OS rates for T1 and T2 (p=NS). Five-year CSS in the ELS and radiotherapy group was, respectively, 86% and 85%, whereas ten-year CSS was 83% and 50%, respectively (p=NS). A sub analysis of recurrent cases was performed for both groups. Organ preservation was achieved in 71.1% of cases in the ELS group compared with 58% in the radiotherapy group (p=0.23).
Conclusions: T1 tumors should be exclusively treated with ELS or open surgery, diagnosis and treatment can be combined in a single surgical procedure. Before administering radiotherapy, a diagnosis is needed. T2 tumors should be properly selected for their management and many approaches are available. Organ preservation is similar for both groups.
Metrics
References
National Cancer Institute, SEER: Cancer Stat Facts: Larynx Cancer. 2016. Avaiable at: http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/laryn.html. Accessed on 21 December 2025.
Forastiere AA, Ismaila N, Lewin JS. Use of larynx-preservation strategies in the treatment of laryngeal cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology clinical practice guideline update. J Clin Oncol. 2018;36(11):1143-69. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2017.75.7385
Ahmadi N, Stone D, Stokan M, Coleman H, Heller G, Smith M, et al. Treatment of early glottic cancer with transoral laser microsurgery: an Australian experience. Indian J Otolaryngol Head & Neck Surg. 2023;75:661–7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-022-03392-8
Seno S, Iwashita K, Kajiwara A. Targeting anterior commissure involvement with hyperfractionated radiotherapy for T1–T2 squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx. Cancers. 2024;16:1850. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16101850
Steiner W. Results of curative laser microsurgery of laryngeal carcinomas. Am J Otolaryngol. 1993;14(2):116-21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0196-0709(93)90050-H
Huang GJ, Luo MS, Liu HB. A comparison of the survival between laser surgery and radiation in ¬ T1aN0M0 glottic cancer: a population based analysisand meta-analysis. European Arch Oto-Rhino-Laryngol. 2022;279:5299–310. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-022-07450-3
Curry DE, Forner D, Rigby MH, Trites JR, Corsten M, Taylor M. Oncological and functional outcomes following treatment of T1a glottic squamous cell carcinoma with transoral laser microsurgery. J Otolaryngol Head & Neck Surg. 2020;3:785.
Luna-Ortiz K, Campos-Ramos E, Villavicencio-Valencia V, Contreras-Buendía M, Pasche P, Gómez AH. Vertical partial hemilaryngectomy with reconstruction by false cord imbrication. ANZ J Surg. 2010;80(5):358-63. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1445-2197.2010.05280.x
Warner L, Lee K, Homer JJ. Transoral laser microsurgery versus radiotherapy for T2 glottic squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review of local control outcomes. Clin Otolaryngol. 2017;42(3):629-36. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/coa.12790
Vaculik MF, MacKay CA, Taylor SM, Trites JRB, Hart RD, Rigby MH. Systematic review and meta-analysis of T1 glottic cancer outcomes comparing CO2 transoral laser microsurgery and radiotherapy. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2019;48(1):44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40463-019-0367-2
Hendriksma, M.; Sjögren, E.V. Involvement of the anterior commissure in early glottic cancer (tis-T2): A review of the literature. Cancers 2019;11:1234. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers11091234
Strong MS, Jako GJ. Laser surgery in the larynx. Early clinical experience with continuous CO 2 laser. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 1972;81(6):791-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/000348947208100606
Luna-Ortiz K, Pasche P, Tamez-Velarde M, Villavicencio-Valencia V. Supracricoid partial laryngectomy with cricohyoidoepiglottopexy in patients with radiation therapy failure. World J Surg Oncol. 2009;7:101. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7819-7-101
Shelan M, Anschuetz L, Schubert AD, Bojaxhiu B, Dal Pra A, Behrensmeier F, et al. T1-2 glottic cancer treated with radiotherapy and/or surgery. Strahlenther Onkol. 2017;193(12):995-1004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00066-017-1139-4
Bron LP, Soldati D, Zouhair A, Ozsahin M, Brossard E, Monnier P, et al. Treatment of early stage squamous-cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx: endoscopic surgery or cricohyoidoepiglottopexy versus radiotherapy. Head Neck. 2001;23(10):823-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.1120
Lois-Ortega Y, García-Curdi F, Vallés-Varela H, Muniesa-Del Campo A. Survival study in early stages of glottis cancer, stratified by treatment. Acta Otolaryngol. 2022;142(7-8):627-33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00016489.2022.2110613
De Santis RJ, Poon I, Lee J, Karam I, Enepekides DJ, Higgins KM. Comparison of survival between radiation therapy and trans-oral laser microsurgery for early glottic cancer patients; a retrospective cohort study. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;2;45(1):42. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40463-016-0155-1
Shen J, Hu K, Ma J, Zhen H, Guan H, Wang W, et al. Clinical analysis of EBRT vs TLM in the treatment of early (T1-T2N0) glottic laryngeal cancer. J Cancer. 2020;11(22):6686-94. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7150/jca.46487
Rydell R, Andreasson J, Gustafsson S, Clarhed N. Minimal invasive LASER-resection vs. radiotherapy as primary treatment ofearly glottic cancer. A population-based study with, up to 16 years follow upof survival, rate of laryngectomy and voice functionActa Oto-Laryngologica 2024;144(1)58–64. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00016489.2023.2299674
Elicin O, Giger R. Comparison of current surgical and non-surgical treatment strategies for early and locally advanced stage glottic laryngeal cancer and their outcome. Cancers (Basel). 2020;12(3):732. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12030732