Contemporary Surgical Management of Early Glottic Cancer

Abstract

For early-stage T1-T2 glottic squamous cell carcinoma, transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) is the main surgical modality, with rates of local control and laryngeal preservation ranging from 85% to 100% and low morbidity. For extensive lesions, open conservation laryngeal surgery may enable wider resections than TLM but at costs of longer hospital stay and higher postoperative morbidity. Surgery provides results that are comparable to nonsurgical treatment options while reserving radiation therapy for recurrences or second primary cancers, particularly in younger patients. In the future, transoral robot-assisted surgery may enable more extensive transoral resections than laser alone, decreasing further the indications for open surgery.

Keywords: Conservation laryngeal surgery; Glottis; Larynx; Organ preservation; Squamous cell carcinoma; Transoral laser surgery.