Laryngeal cancer survival in Zaragoza (Spain): a population-based study.

OBJECTIVE

This article aims to study larynx cancer survival from the Population-Based Cancer Registry of Zaragoza, Spain, for the period 1978-2002.

METHODS

The survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The automated calculation of the Catalan Institute of Oncology was utilised to obtain the relative survival.

RESULTS

The observed survival rate was 84.6% in the first year and 60.9% in the fifth year. The one-year relative survival in both genders was 86.8% (CI 95%: 85.3-88.4) and 70.1% (CI 95%: 67.8-72.4) after five years. Glottic cancer presented a better survival rate than supraglottic and subglottic cancers, and a better survival rate was also observed in younger ages. There were no statistical differences when comparing survival rates by gender and between the periods 1978-1986, 1987-1994 and 1995-2002.

CONCLUSIONS

The data suggest there were no significant changes in laryngeal cancer survival in the province of Zaragoza in the period 1978-2002 and that the tumours located in the glottis presented a better prognosis.