Early Glottic Carcinoma

Thomas et al¹ presented an excellent article titled Early Glottic Carcinoma Treated With Open Laryngeal Procedures. They reported that patients undergoing an open laryngeal procedure (laryngofissure with cordectomy, frontolateral partial laryngectomy, anterior commissure procedure, and hemilaryngectomy) for glottic cancer have an estimated probability of.93 for remaining free of local recurrence 5 years after surgery. The laryngeal preservation rate was 150 (94%) of 159. In the Comment section of the article, Thomas et al compare these excellent surgical results using an open laryngeal procedure compared with our experience using radiation therapy for early-stage glottic carcinoma.² They correctly point out that patients treated with radiation therapy had an overall local control rate of 84% with a laryngeal preservation rate of 91%. However, not all of the patients in the radiation therapy group had cancers resectable by an open laryngeal procedure. Some cancers would require a total or near total laryngectomy.