Evaluation of surgical margin status in patients with early glottic cancer (Tis-T2) treated with transoral CO(2) laser microsurgery, on local control

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of surgical margins status on local control in patients with primary early glottic (Tis-T2) squamous cell carcinoma after treatment with transoral CO(2) laser microsurgery (TLM) and to assess the significance of additional wound bed biopsies. METHODS: Patients with Tis-T2 tumours treated with TLM type I–III resections according to the European Laryngological Society classification between 2009 and 2013 were included in retrospective analysis. Recurrence rate was determined in patients with free versus non-free specimen margins and wound biopsies. Five-year survival rates were determined using the Kaplan–Meier method. Prognostic impact of pT-category, resection margin status, tumour differentiation, wound bed biopsy status, and number of biopsies on local control (LC) were tested with the log-rank test. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were included in the analysis. Positive margins were seen in 68 patients (81.0%). Margin status after TLM did not significantly influence LC (p = 0.489), however, additional wound bed biopsies were significantly associated with lower LC (p = 0.009). Five-year LC, disease-specific survival, overall survival and laryngeal preservation were 78.6, 78.0, 98.6 and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Additional wound bed biopsies can help predict local recurrence in patients treated with TLM for early glottic carcinoma. We propose that there is enough evidence to support a wait-and-see policy in patients with positive specimen margins and negative wound bed biopsies. For patients with positive wound bed biopsies, further treatment is warranted.