High Dose Preoperative Irradiation for Advanced Laryngeal-Hypopharyngeal Cancer

Abstract
Combined therapy, consisting of 5000 rads delivered in five weeks followed by total laryngectomy ± radical neck dissection, was compared with treatment by irradiation (6000–7000 rads) with surgical salvage when clinically possible for radiation failure. Patients were categorized according to site of primary cancer (glottic, supraglottic and pyriform sinus) and staged (T, N, M). Survival was equally good in the two programs for glottic and supraglottic lesions, N0 or N1. The combined treatment program was judged superior for supraglottic and pyriform sinus lesions, N2 or N3.