Carcinoma in Situ and Microinvasive Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Vocal Cords

Abstract

A retrospective study was undertaken to assess the outcome of 20 patients who underwent microlaryngoscopy and stripping of their vocal cord(s) with and without laser ablation of adjacent tissue for carcinoma in situ and/or microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx. Eighteen of 20 (90%) patients are currently free of disease following this course of treatment. The two treatment failures were in patients who had been lost to follow-up. A structured approach is presented to the clinical management of carcinoma in situ and microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma. We propose that the technique of tissue removal, microcup forceps stripping with or without laser ablation, is not the critical determinant of successful outcome, but rather that compulsive follow-up is most important to ultimate treatment success.