CO2-LASER SURGERY IN GLOTTIC CANCER OF TH E LARYNX

A study was performed with laryngomicroscopic CO2 laser surgery on 55 patients suffering from histologically verified glottic cancer. They w ere treated by either ''superficial laser chordectomy'', or ''partial cordectomy'', ''total chordectomy'', or ''extended chordectomy'' in st ages T(is) = 7, T1a = 34, T1b = 11, and T2 = 3. All patients with T(is ) remained free of tumours, in stage T1a 88% (30/34) of the patients a fter laser chordectomy and 2 patients after partial- and total larynge ctomy. In stage T1b the recurrence rate was higher (3/11 = 27%), but 2 patients after partial laryngectomy, and one patient after radiothera py have become tumour-free, and thus all patients in this group are fr ee from tumours. One of the 3 patients in stage T2 developed a local t umour recurrence, but after partial laryngectomy he is free from tumou r and hence all 3 patients are still alive. Laser chordectomy proved a sufficient therapeutic procedure in 47 (85%) of 55 patients; eventual ly 95% of the patients became tumour-free. The authors emphasise that CO2 laser chordectomy is a modem and useful surgical method in the the rapy of a vocal cord carcinoma, provided adequate follow-up and the po ssibility of ''salvage'' surgery are available.