Results of intraoperative photodynamic therapy in T1–2 laryngeal cancer

Introduction. Laryngeal cancer is an important malignancy of the head and neck, with an estimated incidence of 238,000 cases per year. The main risk factors are smoking, human papillomavirus infection, and exposure to occupational carcinogens. Treatment of laryngeal cancer with T1–2 includes surgery and radiation therapy, but both methods have disadvantages: there is a risk of relapse after radiation therapy, and functional impairment after surgery, which necessitates optimization of treatment methods. photodynamic therapy is a promising organ-preserving method based on the targeted destruction of tumor cells by activating the photosensitizer accumulated in them with visible red light.

Materials and methods. The study analyzed the results of combined treatment with intraoperative photodynamic therapy in 74 patients with laryngeal cancer from 2017 to 2023. Inclusion criteria: morphologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, T1–2 tumor extent and absence of distant metastases. patients were administered photosensitizer (chlorin E6) intravenously 3 hours before surgery. Surgical treatment included endolaryngeal or open laryngeal resections followed by intraoperative photodynamic therapy on the bed of the removed tumor. Oncological and functional results were then assessed for 24 months.

Results. Local recurrence was recorded in 2 (2.7 %) patients in the 1^st year and in 3 (4.17 %) patients in the 2^nd year. Overall survival was 100 %, larynx preservation was 95.9 %. In the group with a positive resection margin (n = 11), progression was noted in 2 patients. Respiratory, swallowing and vocal functions were restored in all patients. No complications associated with photodynamic therapy were registered.

Conclusion. The high efficiency of a combined approach involving the use of intraoperative photodynamic therapy in early-stage laryngeal cancer has been demonstrated. This method has provided good oncological and functional results. In some cases, it allows you to avoid adjuvant radiation therapy, reduce the risk of complications and shorten the rehabilitation period. further studies of the long-term results of such a combined method will help assess the prospects for its implementation in clinical practice.

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