T1 glottic laryngeal cancer: the role of routine follow-up visits in detecting local recurrence

Pihla Pakkanen; Taru Ilmarinen; Elina Halme; Heikki Irjala; Petri Koivunen; Matti Pukkila; Sami Ventelä; Jaana Hagström; Leena-Maija Aaltonen

doi:10.1007/s00405-021-06983-3

T1 glottic laryngeal cancer: the role of routine follow-up visits in detecting local recurrence

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2021 Dec;278(12):4863-4869. doi: 10.1007/s00405-021-06983-3. Epub 2021 Aug 6.

Authors

Pihla Pakkanen¹, Taru Ilmarinen², Elina Halme³, Heikki Irjala⁴, Petri Koivunen⁵, Matti Pukkila⁶, Sami Ventelä⁴, Jaana Hagström^{7

8}, Leena-Maija Aaltonen²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, P.O. Box 263, 00029, Helsinki, Finland. pihla.pakkanen@helsinki.fi.
² Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, P.O. Box 263, 00029, Helsinki, Finland.
³ Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
⁴ Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
⁵ Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
⁶ Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
⁷ Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
⁸ Department of Oral Pathology and Radiology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.

Abstract

Purpose: We assessed the treatment outcome and the benefits of routine follow-up visits in T1 glottic laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

Methods: Medical records of patients diagnosed with stage T1 glottic LSCC (N = 303) in five Finnish university hospitals between 2003 and 2015 were reviewed. Moreover, data from the Finnish Cancer Registry and the Population Register Center were collected.

Results: Of all 38 recurrences, 26 (68%) were detected during a routine follow-up visit, and over half (21 of 38, 55%) presented without new symptoms. Primary treatment method (surgery vs. radiotherapy) was not connected with 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) or laryngeal preservation rate.

Conclusion: The majority of recurrences were detected on a routine follow-up visit, and local recurrences often presented without new symptoms. Routine post-treatment follow-up of T1 glottic LSCC seems beneficial.

Trial registration: Trial registration number and date of registration HUS/356/2017 11.12.2017.

Keywords: Early laryngeal cancer; Follow-up; Glottic cancer; Recurrence; Treatment method.

MeSH terms

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* / diagnosis
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* / pathology
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* / therapy
Follow-Up Studies
Glottis / pathology
Head and Neck Neoplasms*
Humans
Laryngeal Neoplasms* / diagnosis
Laryngeal Neoplasms* / pathology
Laryngeal Neoplasms* / therapy
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / epidemiology
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
Neoplasm Staging
Retrospective Studies