RADIOTHERAPY IN COMBINED TREATMENT OF RECURRENT STAGE 3 LARYNGEAL CANCER

Abstract

The paper presents the treatment results performed in 250 patients with a laryngeal tumor of the third stage. The average life expectancy of these patients generally does not exceed 3−6 months. Chemotherapy is usually considered the standard treatment for the recurrence of head and neck squamous cell cancer patients, previously received radiotherapy. When prescribing the chemotherapy, a tumor regression is observed only in 10−40 % and does not virtually affect the life. Average life expectancy of these patients often varies from 5 to 9 months. The optimal total dose of radiotherapy for the treatment of inoperable recurrent and metastatic cancer was found in this reserach for imroving treatment results. The surgical protocols and techniques under discussion in this paper are certainly of a practical significance. The method for preoperative radiotherapy for larynx cancers was developed and the guidelines have been proven. Also there was proven that preoperative radiotherapy in a combined treatment of recurrent operable laryngeal cancer increases its effectiveness and does not affect postoperative period. Repeated radiotherapy for recurrent inoperable laryngeal cancer is possible only if the changes after previous radio− or combination therapy do not exceed 2 degrees. In addition, a repeated radiotherapy at a total source dose of 40−60 Gy is an effective method of palliative treatment and significantly improves the life expectancy and quality in the patients if compared with palliative chemotherapy. The method used in combination with intratumoral chemo− and radiotherapy significantly improves the efficiency of palliative treatment in the patients with recurrent regional metastasis for inoperable laryngeal cancer, in the primary tumor area, no signs of recurrence were found. Key words: laryngeal cancer, combined cancer treatment, radiotherapy.