Comparison of early oncological results of diode laser surgery with radiotherapy for early glottic carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the oncologic results of transoral endolaryngeal microscopic diode laser surgery (MDLS) and radiotherapy (RT) for T1 and T2 glottic carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN Case series with planned chart review. SETTING Ankara Oncology Education and Research Hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The study was conducted on a series of 140 cases of early glottic carcinoma (T1, T2) treated with MDLS or RT. The tumors were defined according to T stage and the involvement of the anterior commissure (AC). RESULTS The 3-year locoregional control rate of MDLS and RT groups was 93.1% and 89.7%, respectively (P = .434). There was no difference in 3-year disease-free survival when comparing T1 and T2 tumors treated with MDLS and those treated with RT (P = .618 for T1, P = .084 for T2). There was no difference in disease-free survival when comparing AC- and AC+ tumors treated with MDLS and those treated with RT (P = .291 for AC- and P = .530 for AC+ tumors). CONCLUSIONS Microscopic diode laser surgery in early glottic cancer seems to be an oncologically safe procedure that has similar oncological results with RT. In T2 glottic tumors and AC involvement, the results with either treatment are less satisfactory.