Laryngeal Cancer : A Recent Paradigm Shift in Larynx Preservation

Abstract

Laryngeal cancer management must maintain a balance between improving the survival while preserving the function. Chemoradiotherapy has become the standard of care for larynx preservation in advanced laryngeal cancers. Recent data have shown faltering survival trends for patients with laryngeal cancer, calling for improvement through innovation. As chemoradiotherapy has been the prevailing management over the past two decades, cases receiving open laryngeal surgery have decreased. With contemporary trends toward minimally invasive surgery, it is imperative that head and neck surgeons improve partial laryngectomy procedures using recent medical innovations. Since 2016, our international collaboration team has conducted trials focused on blending transoral surgeries with conventional open laryngectomies. An innovative hybrid approach by blending transoral robotic surgery or endoscopic transoral surgery with limited open (6-cm skin incision) supracricoid partial laryngectomy may facilitate postoperative and functional recoveries. Head and neck surgeons are in an important position for improving partial laryngeal surgeries, which may offer survival benefits with functional improvements.