Comparative assessment of the voice in patients treated for early glottis cancer by laser cordectomy or radiotherapy.

INTRODUCTION

Adaptation of laser surgery in laryngeal cancer treatment in 1970s led to great successes and common acceptation of this treatment method in cancer treatment. The results of cancer treatment with CO(2) laser are the same as after radiotherapy or external access method.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

The study included 63 patients treated for glottis cancer T1. 33 persons were treated by cordectomy type III with transmuscular cordectomy using CO(2) laser. The remaining 30 persons are patients treated using radiotherapy with so called "small spots". The tested material consisted of 100% squamosus carcinoma. The patients qualified for the examination received a card of voice self-examination. The perceptive examination of the voice was performed according to the GRBAS scale where each of parameters is defined in a four degree scale of the particular disturbance degree. The mobility and vibrations of the vocal folds were accessed using videolaryngoscopy while the acoustic analysis was performed on the basis of the acoustic analysis module.

RESULTS

On the basis of the patients' voice quality self-assessment and the perceptive assessment of the voice quality based on the GRBAS scale, no significant differences between the groups were found. Furthermore no statistically significant differences were found for the phonation closure and maximal phonation time in both groups.