Quality of life in patients treated by organ preservation surgery for early laryngeal carcinoma

Eugenia Allegra, Teresa Franco, Serena Trapasso, Teodoro Aragona, Rossana Domanico, Aldo Garozzo

Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy

Background and objective: Supracricoid partial laryngectomy (SCL) was introduced as an organ preservation procedure for treating selected early laryngeal cancer. However, the recovery of the voice after SCL may result in different degrees of dysphonia. To improve the functional recovery and quality of the voice, we realized a modified supracricoid laryngectomy (MSCL) using sternohyoid muscles for neoglottic reconstruction in selected patients affected by T1b–T2 laryngeal cancer. In this study, we evaluate the quality of life (QoL) in patients treated by SCL and MSCL.
Methods: The quality of life (QoL) evaluation was undertaken using the Italian version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire.
Results: The overall QoL, assessed with European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30, was better in patients treated with MSCL than in those treated with SCL. The better QoL correlates with the highest response scores to the questions on the relative global functioning scales in patients treated with MSCL.
Conclusion: The new surgical technique has improved the QoL of patients with early laryngeal cancer, with improved communication ability achieved. Reconstruction of neocords in MSCL improves speech function in comparison to SCL, and patients experience less discomfort and achieve an almost normal communication performance.

Keywords: supracricoid laryngectomy, quality of life, laryngeal carcinoma, EORTC QLQ