High daily fraction dose external radiotherapy for T1 glottic carcinoma: treatment results and prognostic factors.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic factors and treatment results of T1N0M0 glottic laryngeal carcinoma irradiated with 2.3 Gray (Gy) per fraction.

METHODS

A total of 183 patients with glottic carcinoma treated between June 1998 and January 2007 were retrospectively evaluated. Of the 183 patients, 163 patients (89%) had T1a and 20 patients (11%) had T1b disease. All patients received 2.3 Gy per fraction to a median total dose of 64.4 Gy.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 63 months. The 5-year overall survival (OS), local control, and cancer-specific survival rates were 89%, 81%, and 90%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed overall treatment time and age to be significant prognostic factors for local control and OS. We observed no grade IV or grade V acute toxicity. Trachea-esophageal fistula as late toxicity was observed in only 1 patient.

CONCLUSIONS

High daily fraction scheme seems to be a feasible schedule for early glottic carcinomas.