Therapeutic strategy for advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer

Abstract

Recently, concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) has been widely used for locally advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) as initial treatment with the intention of organ preservation. However, the long-term outcome of pharyngo-laryngeal function after CCRT is not necessarily satisfactory and the incidence of postoperative complications in salvage surgery is higher than that of initial surgery. We always make a decision on larynx preservation by a multidisciplinary approach considering the patient's wish, performance status, general conditions and complications. In this article, we review the oncological and functional outcomes of patients with advanced (Stage III/IV) laryngeal and hypopharyngeal SCC at Kobe University Hospital and discuss how to define the optimal approach for larynx preservation in the clinical setting.