Objectives: We investigated the prognostic factors affecting survival and recurrence in laryngeal cancer.
Patients and methods: The study included 116 patients (4 females, 112 males; mean age 55+/-9 years; range 35 to 75 years) who underwent surgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx. Risk factors for survival and recurrence were analyzed using univariate analysis and Cox regression analysis. The mean follow-up period was 43+/-25 months.
Results: Mortality occurred in 14 patients, nine of which were due to tumoral causes. In univariate analyses, lymphovascular invasion, cartilage invasion, positive surgical margins, postoperative deglutition time, and complications had a significant effect on survival, while recurrence was influenced by age, postoperative deglutition time, postoperative radiotherapy, and positive surgical margins (p<0.05). Cox regression analyses showed that postoperative deglutition time, radiotherapy, recurrence, and tumor localization significantly affected survival, and preoperative differentiation, tracheotomy, pre- and postoperative tumor stage, radiotherapy, cartilage invasion, and positive surgical margins were significant prognostic factors for recurrence (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Evaluation of the prognostic factors in larynx cancer may serve as a guide to treatment and follow-up.