Long-term follow-up and pattern of failure for T1-T2 glottic cancer after definitive radiation therapy.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of radiation therapy (RT) on the long-term outcomes and pattern of failure for T1-2 glottic cancer.

Materials And Methods: This is a single-institution, retrospective study. From January (1997 to 2010), 253 patients with early glottic cancer underwent RT by 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional RT with Co or linear accelerator. Appropriate daily bolus was applied with linear accelerator-based RT to avoid under dosage of the anterior commissure.

Results: A total of 253 patients with T1-T2 glottic cancer were treated with definitive RT. The median age was 65 and males made up 87% of the population. T1 was 77% of the population. The median dose and fraction size were 63 and 2.25 Gy, respectively. After a median follow-up of 83 months, the locoregional control (LRC) for the whole cohort was 98%. Specifically, LRCs for T1 (195 patients) and T2 (58 patients) were 99.5% and 91%, respectively. Kaplan-Meier curve shows the 5-year cause-specific survival to be 100%.

Conclusions: Single-modality RT provides an excellent and effective treatment for T1-T2 glottic cancer with remarkable functional preservation and 5-year LRC of 98% with negligible long-term toxicity.