RADIOTHERAPY OF EARLY GLOTTIC CANCER .1.

A detailed retrospective analysis of the results of treatment of 378 patients with early glottic cancer seen at the Princess Margaret Hospital from 1965-1974 is presented. The policy of management in this period has been moderate dose radiotherapy followed by conservative laryngeal surgery for salvage of recurrent disease. The overall local recurrence rate during this time period of T1a and T1bN0M0 has been 14% at 5 years. By increasing the size of the treatment volume while retaining the same dose, the local recurrence rate after radiotherapy has been reduced from 18 to 9% (p = 0.034). The benefits of moderate dose (5500 rad in 5 weeks) radiotherapy and partial laryngectomy for treatment of post-radiotherapy recurrence are discussed in detail. The risk of second malignancies and survival of patients once they are cured of their early glottic cancer is also discussed. © 1979.