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Prognostic Significance of Vocal Cord Mobility after Laryngeal Preservation Protocols in Locally Advanced Laryngopharyngeal Cancers: A Retrospective Analysis

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Abstract

In the present study, we look at the prognostic implications of the recovery of vocal cord mobility after treatment in T3 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers with fixed vocal cords. Patients with T3 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma were considered for the study. All patients were treated with standard laryngeal preservation protocols as per treatment guidelines. Recovery of vocal cord functions was assessed with serial flexible laryngoscopic evaluation. Recovery of vocal cord mobility was compared with oncological outcomes. Twenty seven patients were available for final analysis. Cases, where vocal cords remained fixed or continued to have restricted mobility on follow up, were categorised as “unfavourable” and those with complete recovery of function as compared to pre treatment FOL as “Favourable”. Thirteen (48%) patients did not regain complete mobility of vocal cords. Six patients from the ‘unfavourable’ group (46%) developed recurrence, whereas only one patient from the ‘favourable’ group (7%) had a recurrence (p = 0.03). The findings of the present study suggest that failure to regain complete vocal cord mobility after CTRT is a poor prognostic factor in T3 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Head and Neck Oncology, HCG Cancer Centre, Sampangi Ram Nagar, P. Kalinga Rao Road, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560020, India

    Vishal U S Rao, Kinjal Shankar Majumdar, Anand Subash, Piyush Sinha, Rachana Prasad, Akshay Kudpaje & Ravi C Nayar

  2. Department of Surgical Oncology, AIIMS, Rishikesh, India

    Kinjal Shankar Majumdar

  3. Dept of Community Medicine and Biostatistics, North Bengal Medical College, Darjeeling, India

    Nabanita Banerjee

  4. Department of Head and Neck Oncology, Medanta Hospital, Lucknow, India

    Piyush Sinha

  5. Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, RIMS, Ranchi, India

    Rachana Prasad

Authors
  1. Vishal U S Rao
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  2. Kinjal Shankar Majumdar
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  3. Anand Subash
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  4. Nabanita Banerjee
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  5. Piyush Sinha
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  7. Akshay Kudpaje
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  8. Ravi C Nayar
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Correspondence to Anand Subash.

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Rao, V.U.S., Majumdar, K.S., Subash, A. et al. Prognostic Significance of Vocal Cord Mobility after Laryngeal Preservation Protocols in Locally Advanced Laryngopharyngeal Cancers: A Retrospective Analysis. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 73, 207–211 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-020-02306-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-020-02306-w

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