LARYNGEAL CANCER

Laryngeal cancer remained the most common malignant tumourof the head and neck despite an increase in the tumours of the oral cavity and oropharynx in the past two decades.However, it is the malignancy which has a high cure rate if diagnosed early and treated correctly. Objective: Toanalyse the results of treatment offered to laryngeal cancer patients. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Departmentof ENT and Head & Neck Surgery Unit-II Allied Hospital Faisalabad. Study Period: Nov 2003 to Oct 2005. Materialand Methods: 50 cases of laryngeal cancer were selected at random who presented with hoarseness and /orrespiratory distress in the out patient department. Majority of these patients were smokers. All these 50 cases wereanalysed from treatment point of view. Results: Out of 50 cases of laryngeal cancer, 12 patients (24%) presented withsupra-glottic growth. Only one patient (02%) involved the sub-glottic region. The trans-glottic growth was noted in 16patients (32%). We had to perform emergency tracheostomy in 19 patients (38%). 16 patients (32%) underwent totallaryngectomy as the primary mode of treatment. 18 patients (36%) were referred to oncology department for primarytherapeutic radiotherapy. Salvage total laryngectomy after primary radiotherapy failure was offered to 7 patients (14%).It was noted that recurrence of the lesion was more in those patients who received primary radiotherapy, 9(18%)showed recurrence in case of primary radiotherapy while 5(10%) showed the recurrence after total laryngectomy.Conclusion: Early diagnosis of laryngeal cancer pays a lot of dividends and makes the difference between life anddeath. Therefore more emphasis should be made on early diagnosis.