To assess local control of early-stage glottic cancer by laser cordectomy in comparison with previously published external partial laryngectomy series and to determine the relevance of histological margins in glottic cancers excised with laser cordectomy.Design: Retrospective review of laser cordectomy for carcinoma in situ (Tis) and stage T1 glottic cancer from January 1991 to January 2004.Setting: University hospital.Patients: Fifty-two patients with Tis or T1 glottic cancer.Intervention: Endoscopic laser cordectomy, classified using the system proposed by the European Laryngeal Society Working Committee.Main Outcome Measures: Local control after initial surgery and after salvage compared with a published historical control group, according to the type of cordectomy performed and the histological margins of the removed specimen.Results: Sixteen patients with Tis, 30 with T1a tumors, and 6 with T1b tumors were followed up for an average of 38 months. Type I cordectomy was the most common procedure used to treat Tis, and type II and type III were the most common for treating T1a and T1b tumors. Of 6 recurrences, 4 were treated with laser cordectomy and 2 were treated with external partial laryngectomy. The rate of laryngeal preservation was 100%. There were 3 recurrences despite histologically clear margins. Three (17%) of 18 patients with suspicious margins developed recurrences. The rate of local control with single intervention (46 [89%] of 52) was lower than with partial external laryngectomy. However, 46 (89%) of 52 patients ultimately had less tissue removed by laser than would have been removed by external partial laryngectomy.
Conclusions:Laser cordectomy provides excellent local control and laryngeal preservation. Close follow-up of patients with positive or suspicious margins is an alternative to further routine treatment.