Background & objective: This study was designed to investigate the factors associated with the primary recurrence in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas after treatment.
Methods: A total of 166 cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas hospitalized in Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University from 1990 to 1995 were reviewed retrospectively. It was considered primary recurrence that pathologically confirmed recurrence after 6 months of follow-up. The correlative factors which included age, pathological differentiation, diseased site, stage, treatment modality, surgical procedures, surgical margin, and radiotherapy with primary recurrence were investigated.
Results: The primary recurrence in this group after treatment was 16.3% (27/166). The primary recurrence rates in different treatment modalities of definitive radiotherapy, definitive surgery, and combined management were 50%, 8.9%, and 14.1%, respectively, which had statistical significance (P < 0.05). The primary recurrence rates in surgical and non-surgical(radiotherapy and radiochemotherapy) treatment were 11.3% and 44%, respectively, which had statistical significance(P < 0.05). The comparison of T stage in different treatment modalities showed definitive radiotherapy had earlier T stage than definitive surgery and combined therapy(P < 0.05). The primary recurrence rates in positive and negative surgical margin were 34.8% and 6.1%, respectively, which had statistical significance (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: The treatment of primary site influences directly the primary relapse. Surgical treatment has better primary control than non-surgical treatment. Definitive radiotherapy has more probability of primary recurrence. The surgical clearance of the primary site influences directly the primary control.