Results of radiation therapy in early glottic carcinoma (T1, T2 N0).

Glottic carcinoma is curable by either surgery or radiotherapy. A total of 60 patients were treated by radiation alone at the Northern Israel Oncology Center, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, between 1970 and 1980. Twenty-nine (48%) were classified as T1 N0 and 31 (52%) as T2 N0. All patients received radiotherapy primarily with curative intent, with surgery reserved for recurrences. The 5-year actuarial survival for all patients was 90% and actuarial disease-free survival was 95%. In ten patients (17%) there was local failure, and five of them were salvaged by surgery. There were no significant acute or long-term complications of radiation. Factors influencing treatment outcome (anterior commissures involvement, degree of differentiation, treatment volume, and technique of irradiation) and the occurrence of second primary malignancies are discussed.