Dose response in radiotherapy for glottic carcinoma.

All consecutive patients with glottic squamous cell carcinoma treated primarily by radiotherapy from 1965 through 1974 have been analyzed to reveal response of the primary tumor in relation to the dose. This study appears to indicate presence of dose response for all stages of the primary lesions (T) of the glottic carcinoma except for the smallest ones namely TIS, T1a and T1b. The total number of advanced tumors is small and selected. But they tend to indicate presence of dose response. Out of 15 selected patients with T3 and T4 glottic tumors, 5 (33%) had attained local control by primary radiotherapy; two had distant metastasis at onset of therapy, while 5 (33%) needed salvage surgery for control of the residual or recurrent disease. The ultimate success rate is 66% (10 out of 15) for the patients with advanced tumors treated with a conservative approach. An ongoing study indicates similar, if not better preliminary results with high dose radiotherapy.