Objective: Given that CO2-laser decortication and radiotherapy are equally effective in the treatment of T1a glottic carcinomas, to determine which of the two is most efficient with respect to treatment costs.
Design: Retrospective analysis.
Method: The costs of both treatment modalities from the first visit to the Free University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, until two years after the start of the treatment were calculated, based on the medical consumption of 89 patients who were treated with curative intent for a T1a glottic carcinoma in the years 1995-1999.
Results: The total costs from diagnosis until two years after the start of treatment were [symbol: see text] 7,253,- for radiotherapy and [symbol: see text] 3,864,- for CO2-laser decortication. These amounts included the costs of diagnosis and treatment of any recurrence or benign laryngeal disorders occurring within the two-year interval. The difference was statistically significant.
Conclusion: Radiotherapy was significantly more expensive than CO2-laser decortication. Therefore CO2-laser decortication is an efficient alternative to radiotherapy in the treatment of eligible patients with T1a glottic carcinoma.