SALVAGE SURGERY FOLLOWING IRRADIATION WITH DIFFERENT FRACTIONATION REGIMES IN THE TREATMENT OF CARCINOMA OF THE LARYNGO PHARYNX - EXPERIENCE GAINED FROM A BRITISH-INSTITUTE-OF-RADIOLOGY-STUDY

The 10-year follow-up of patients in a clinical trial involving the co mparison of treatment by three fractions per week versus five fraction s per week in radiotherapy of squamous carcinoma of the larynx and hyp opharynx has now been completed. The trial involved an intake of 734 p atients between 1966 and 1975. No statistically significant difference s have been found between the two trial arms in terms of overall survi val, age corrected survival, local recurrence, laryngectomy-free rates or effects on the normal tissues. Local recurrence was found in 320 o f the 713 evaluable patients (45 per cent). Salvage laryngectomy was p erformed in 151 of the 320 patients with recurrence (47 per cent). Sur vival at 10 years for all node negative patients was 50 per cent in th ose patients without primary recurrence, compared with 40 per cent in those undergoing salvage laryngectomy.