Early-stage vocal cord cancer treated with hypofractionated radiotherapy to the larynx with or without concurrent chemotherapy

Background We report outcomes among patients with T2 and select T3 glottic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) treated with radiotherapy. Methods We reviewed T2 and T3 (only paraglottic space invasion) N0 M0 glottic SCC patients treated with curative-intent hypofractionated larynx radiotherapy, with or without concurrent systemic therapy. Results Of 71 patients, those who received concurrent chemotherapy (23/71; 32%) had worse prognostic factors, including impaired cord mobility (70% vs. 40%, p = 0.02) and larger median gross tumor volume (3.0 vs. 1.6 cm(3), p = 0.003). Over a median follow-up of 3.8 years, 2-year local control among patients with impaired cord mobility appeared higher for those who received chemotherapy (88% vs. 61%, p = 0.12), but the difference was not statistically significant. Acute and late toxicity rates were not higher among patients who received chemotherapy. Conclusions The addition of concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy to hypofractionated larynx radiotherapy among patients with early-stage glottic SCC with impaired cord mobility appears safe and worthy of additional investigation.

Automated summary

This study assessed the outcomes of radiotherapy in patients with T2 and select T3 glottic SCC. The addition of concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy to radiotherapy appeared to be safe and worthy of further investigation in patients with impaired cord mobility.