Comparison of Partial Laryngectomy Versus Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Early Glottic Carcinoma: Complications and Oncological Results- a Nonrandomized Clinical Trial

The aim of this non-randomized clinical trial was to evaluate tumor outcomes and subjective quality of voice following radiotherapy and partial laryngectomy in early-stage glottic laryngeal cancers. Non-Randomized Clinical Trial. Otolaryngology and radiation oncology clinics of Imam Khomeini (an affiliated hospital of Tehran University of Medical Sciences) and Amir Aalam Hospitals. Fifteen patients with early-stage glottic laryngeal carcinoma were admitted to the otolaryngology clinic, divided into two treatment groups: radiotherapy and partial laryngectomy. Of the total 50 patients, 25 had a partial laryngectomy and 25 radiotherapies. The comparison of the average of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) showed significant improvement of vocal quality after treatment for both partial laryngectomy and radiotherapy (P<0.0001 for both). But there was no significant difference in VHI mean scores between the two treatment groups (patients treated by partial laryngectomy and radiotherapy). Short- and long-term complication was higher in patients undergoing surgery than radiotherapy group (P<0.0001). With regard to oncological outcome after one and eight-year after treatment, no differences were observed in the two treatment groups; there was a significant relationship between smoking cessation and recurrence of disease in the partial laryngectomy treatment group (P=0.012). There was no significant difference in voice quality and life expectancy of patients operated on using open surgery and patients treated with radiotherapy in this series. Open surgery may have more noticeable complications than radiotherapy.