As. Jones et al., THE TREATMENT OF PRIMARY RECURRENCE FOLLOWING LARYNGECTOMY FOR LARYNGEAL CARCINOMA, Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 107(7), 1993, pp. 611-613
Of the 397 patients undergoing total laryngectomy for squamous cell ca
rcinoma by Professor P. M. Stell between 1963 and 1991, 73 are known t
o have suffered a local recurrence. Of these, 17 were treated by radio
therapy and/or further surgery. Secondary surgery was reserved for sel
ected cases of peristomal and pharyngeal recurrence: of the 35 peristo
mal recurrences, eight were treated surgically. Previous reports of re
currence after total laryngectomy have focused on the problem of peris
tomal recurrence. Patients with pharyngeal recurrences can also be tre
ated satisfactorily with microvascular surgical reconstruction techniq
ues. Though rarely curative, secondary total pharyngectomy can be high
ly palliative and results in little additional morbidity.