Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 April 2017
The choices made by patients offered treatment for early laryngeal cancer with radiotherapy or transoral laser resection were reviewed.
A prospective review was conducted of all patients diagnosed and treated for early laryngeal carcinoma from December 2002 to September 2009 at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. A total of 209 patients with tumour stage T1 or T2 laryngeal cancer were treated; each new patient suitable for radiotherapy or transoral laser resection was seen jointly by the clinical (radiation) oncologist and head and neck surgeon, and offered the choice of treatment.
Of the patients, 47.4 per cent were given a choice between radiotherapy and transoral laser resection; 51.2 per cent were advised to have radiotherapy, and there were no records for the remaining 1.4 per cent. From those given the choice, 59.6 per cent chose transoral laser resection (p < 0.02 (t-test)) and 35.4 per cent chose radiotherapy.
When given the choice, a statistically significant majority of patients choose transoral laser resection rather than radiotherapy.
Presented (and awarded ‘Best Poster Presentation’) at the British Association of Head and Neck Oncologists (BAHNO) Annual Scientific Meeting, 26 April 2013, London, UK.