Analysis of Recurrence after Frontolateral Laryngectomy.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the recurrence and survival of patients treated with frontolateral laryngectomy for T1 and T2 glottic laryngeal carcinoma.

Methods: Patients who underwent frontolateral laryngectomy for glottic laryngeal carcinoma at a tertiary hospital between March 2009 and June 2014 were included. Patient demographics, tumor stage, treatment and histopathological examination data, and adjuvant therapy details were evaluated.

Results: Thirty patients with T1aN0, T1bN0, and T2N0 vocal fold carcinoma were examined. The mean follow-up duration was 40 months. Of the 30 patients, nine (30%) were stage T1 and 21 (70%) were in stage T2. Twenty-nine patients were males and one was female, and the mean age was 59 (range, 42-81) years. During follow-up, local recurrence was observed in four patients following frontolateral laryngectomy. Six patients continued smoking after frontolateral laryngectomy, of which three developed tumor recurrence. The local control rate was poor in patients with anterior commissure involvement (66.6%) compared with those with no involvement (95.2%). Two of four patients with local recurrence were treated with salvage total laryngectomy and adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy; the remaining two were treated with only radiotherapy. One patient who was treated with only radiotherapy developed lung metastasis during follow-up and died because of distant metastasis.

Conclusion: Frontolateral laryngectomy is an efficient choice of treatment for selected cases of T1 and T2 glottic laryngeal carcinoma.