Postoperative Radiotherapy Omitting Level Ⅳ for Locally Advanced Supraglottic and Glottic Laryngeal Carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Cervical lymph nodes metastases are one of the most significant prognostic factors in patients with laryngeal carcinoma, whether treatment by surgery or by radiotherapy. The current study retrospected the postoperative radiotherapy of locally advanced supraglottic and glottic laryngeal carcinoma (at a greater risk of lymph node metastasis) to determine the effect of radiotherapy excluding cervical level Ⅳ lymph nodes. METHODS: Patients of supraglottic type and glottic type were irradiated with level Ⅳ from January 2012 to June 2013, without level Ⅳ from July 2013 to December 2014, according to physicians’ decision. Ninety-three patients were selective neck irradiation (SNI) of levels Ⅱ-Ⅳ (Group A) and 87 patients were SNI of levels Ⅱ and Ⅲ (Group B). The comparison between Group A and Group B was made with observation of clinical risk of recurrence and radiation complications, as well as overall survival (OS), progress-free survival (PFS) and regional nodal recurrence-free survival. RESULTS: No remarkable difference was observed in the distribution of recurrence, levels of relapse, OS, PFS and regional nodal recurrence-free survival between the 2 groups (p > 0.05). Mean radiation dose at level Ⅳ, thyroid and cervical esophagus showed significant difference between the 2 therapeutic groups (p < 0.01). As regard radiation complications, no significant difference was found in radiation dermatitis of any grade between the 2 groups (p > 0.05). However, there was remarkable difference in clinical hypothyroidism and radiation esophagitis between Group A and Group B (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Radiotherapy after surgery omitting level Ⅳ may improve the quality of life in patients with locally advanced supraglottic and glottic laryngeal carcinoma, won’t worsen the prognosis as well.