The effect of surgical access on functional and oncological results of resections in laryngeal cancer T2N0M0

Introduction. Laryngeal cancer is the most common malignant neoplasm of the ENT organs. The preferred and primary therapy for this pathology is surgical intervention. The search for highly effective organ-saving methods of surgical treatment aimed at minimization of resection volume and preservation of functioning of the larynx continues. Current endolaryngeal surgery allows to improve functional results and is the most modern and advanced method.

Aim. To compare functional and oncological results of surgical treatment of patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma Т2N0M0 performed through transcervical and endolaryngeal accesses.

Materials and methods. The results of surgical treatment of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the vocal folds part of the larynx T2N0M0 performed between 2015 and 2020 at the Oncological Division of Head and Neck Tumors of the The National Medical Research Center for Otorhinolaryngology of the Federal Medico-Biological Agency of Russia were analyzed. The study included 49 men aged 52–72 years; the diagnosis was confirmed by histological examination. All patients underwent standard exams which led to diagnosis per the Tumor, Nodus and Metastasis international system.

Results. Three-year recurrence-free survival after endolaryngeal resection of cancer of the vocal folds part of the larynx Т2N0M0 was 88.47 %, after transcervical resections it was 91.31 %. Analysis of functional and surgical results showed that compared to patients who underwent surgery through external access, in patients who underwent surgery with endolaryngeal access the rate of complications associated with the surgical wound in the early postoperative period was 13.04 % lower, frequency of cicatricial stenoses of the larynx was 20.06 % lower, and abnormalities of separating function of the larynx were 49.33 % rarer.

Conclusion. In patients who underwent endolaryngeal resection of the larynx, better functional and surgical results were achieved compared to patients who underwent surgery through external access. Moreover, there was no statistically significant difference in oncological results between the study groups. This allows to conclude that minimally invasive endolaryngeal approaches are highly effective and functional in organ-saving surgeries for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the vocal fold part of the larynx T2N0M0.

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