The relationship between the frequency of cervical metastases and tumor related factors in laryngeal cancer and outcome of surgical treatment in these cases

Abstract

Objectives: We aimed to assess the associations between localization, size, stage and histopathological differentiation of primary tumor in larynx and neck metastases and the impact of disease stage on survival. Materials and methods: We analyzed the medical records of 333 laryngeal cancer patients who underwent total or partial laryngectomy as primary treatment, combined with neck dissection and/or postoperative radiotheraphy if required, between 2000 and 2010 years at our clinic. Age and gender of patients, tumor localization, size, stage and histopathological differentiation of tumor; presence of preoperative positive lymph nodes, performed operations, operation findings and histopathological results were analysed retrospectively. Results: Tumor localizations were glottic in 172 (51.6%) cases, supraglottic in 108 (32.4%), and transglottic 53 (15.9%) of the the cases. In glottic cancers; cervical metastases were observed in 18.6% of the patients, whereas occult metastases in 11%. In supraglottic cancers; cervical metastasis rate was 45.3% and occult metastases rate was 24%. In transglottic cancers, cervical metastases rate was 49% and occult metastases was 22.6%. Postoperative recurrence was 41 (12.3%). Postoperative radiotherapy was recommended to 111 of 333 patients. The overall survival rate was 75.4% at 50th month and the cumulative survival rate was 68.9%. Conclusion: In conclusion, although there is controversy regarding the optimal treatment in the N0 larynx cancers, in case of a high risk for occult metastases, elective unilateral or bilateral neck dissection should be performed according to the anatomic localization of the tumor. In addition, survival rate decreased significantly with the increasing tumor stage.