Supracricoid partial laryngectomy: an alternative to total laryngectomy for locally advanced laryngeal cancers.

Objectives: The management of advanced laryngeal cancer has evolved in the last century, from total laryngectomy to chemoradiation. The aim of this study was to examine our experience with supracricoid partial laryngectomy as a possible solution for patients with advanced laryngeal tumours, with a focus on the oncological safety of the procedure and the functionality of the preserved larynges.

Study Design: We reviewed the medical records of patients with laryngeal cancer who had undergone primary or salvage supracricoid partial laryngectomy at our department between 1998 and 2004.

Results: Twenty-three patients treated with supracricoid partial laryngectomy for endolaryngeal squamous cell carcinoma were identified. Median follow-up time was 35 months. Twelve patients had advanced laryngeal tumours. Eight patients were radiation failures. These factors were not associated with increased local recurrence or with decreased survival.

Conclusion: Supracricoid partial laryngectomy appears to be a feasible option for the treatment of laryngeal tumours, even in the advanced stage or after failure of radiation therapy.