Chemotherapy alone in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Aims: To evaluate the results of chemotherapy alone in patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx who have achieved a complete clinical response after an induction chemotherapy protocol.

Methods: A comparison of results in a group of complete responders managed with a chemotherapy alone protocol, matched with those of an incomplete responder group managed with conventional modalities.

Results: The survival rate of the complete responder group was significantly higher than that of the incomplete responder group. No statistically significant difference was noted between the two groups in terms of local failure and nodal recurrence.

Conclusion: Our results confirm the fact that chemotherapy alone is a viable option in selected patients with carcinoma of the larynx who have achieved a complete clinical response after an induction chemotherapy protocol. This therapeutic approach allows surgery and/or radiation therapy to be reserved for the management of metachronous second primary tumours.