Salvage laryngectomy in patients with recurrent laryngeal cancer in the setting of nonoperative treatment failure

Objective. To investigate the effectiveness of salvage partial and total laryngectomy in the treatment of recurrent laryngeal cancer in the setting of initial nonoperative treatment failure and to identify factors influencing long-term survival. Study Design. Case series with planned chart review. Setting. Tertiary medical center. Subjects and Methods. Patients with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx initially treated with either radiation or chemoradiation, who underwent salvage laryngectomy at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation from 1997 to 2011, were identified. The cohort was divided into an early-stage group and an advanced-stage group based on initial tumor staging. Survival outcome was evaluated separately in each group against tumor staging, methods of treatment, and nodal status. Secondary endpoints of speech and swallowing were also evaluated. Results. A total of 100 patients were identified, with 72 patients in the early-stage group and 28 patients in the advanced-stage group. The overall postsalvage locoregional control rate was 70%, and the 5-year disease-specific survival was 70% and 55.2% in the early and advanced group, respectively (P = .39). The 5-year disease-specific survival was not significant in either group when compared with recurrent staging, initial treatment, salvage treatment, or nodal disease (P = ns). Using voice prostheses, good to excellent speech function was achieved postoperatively in most patients. Conclusion. Tumor staging, methods of initial and salvage treatment, and nodal disease were not significant predictors of survival. Both salvage partial and total laryngectomy were effective methods in the treatment of recurrent laryngeal cancer in carefully selected patients.