Abstract
Objectives:
1) Describe functional and oncologic outcomes of patients with hypopharyngeal cancer treated with various treatment modalities. 2) Recognize advantages and limitations of different management options for hypopharyngeal cancer.
Methods:
A retrospective chart review was completed to include all patients with a diagnosis of hypopharyngeal cancer between 1998-2012. The primary outcome measure was overall survival, with secondary outcome measures including disease free survival, feeding tube dependence, and tracheostomy dependence. Tumor stage at presentation and history of previous or subsequent malignancy were also included. Data were grouped by primary treatment modality (surgical vs non-surgical). Kaplan Meier curves were generated. Student’s t test and Chi-square test were also used.
Results:
One hundred and eight patients with hypopharyngeal cancer were included. Patients were 79% male, with an average age of 61.9 years and average follow-up of 36 months. Sixty-four were treated with non-surgical modalities, and 44 were treated with surgery with or without adjuvant therapy. Initial analysis demonstrated more locoregional recurrences in those treated without surgery. Among those patients, loco-regional recurrence occurred in 40% vs 20% of those managed surgically (P = 0.04). Of those patients initially treated non-surgically, 11 (19%) progressed to require total laryngectomy. Long term feeding tube dependence was not significantly different between treatment modalities (34% surgical vs 30% non-surgical, P = 0.62).
Conclusions:
Hypopharyngeal cancer remains a challenging clinical problem. In early analysis of our data, rates of locoregional recurrence are higher in patients treated non-surgically. There is no difference in long-term feeding-tube dependence.
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