Objective: To explore the surgical methods for laryngeal cancer and long-term effects of larygectomy.
Methods: 625 cases of laryngeal cancer at different stages, including 182 cases of supraglottic cancer, 429 cases of glottic cancer, and 14 cases of subglottic cancer, underwent operation of different kinds from 1979 to 1999. Radiotherapy was given to those with poorly differentiated squamous carcinoma or with metastasis of cervical lymph nodes postoperatively. The effects of operation, especially that on the preservation of laryngeal function was analyzed.
Results: Partial laryngectomy was performed on 521 of the 625 cases (83.4%) and 203 of the 305 cases at stages III and IV (66.6%). The decannulation rate was 84.07% in the cases undergoing partial laryngectomy. The nasal feeding tube was removed and peroral feeding was recovered in all patients. All cases undergoing partial laryngectomy succeeded in phonation. The overall 3-year survival rate was 89.63% and the overall 5-year survival rate was 77.36%. For the cases with laryngeal cancer at stages III and IV, the 3-year survival rate among those undergoing partial laryngectomy was 84.9%, not significantly different from that among those cases undergoing total laryngectomy (87.7%, P > 0.05); the 5-year survival rate was 66.6% among those undergoing partial laryngectomy and was 69.7% among those undergoing totals laryngectomy (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: The rate of partial laryngectomy is rather high in this group. It is possible to preserve the laryngeal function without compromising the remote survival rate. The prerequisite for the preservation of laryngeal function is to master and choose the proper renovation methods.