[Results of salvage treatment of carcinoma of the larynx recurring after radiotherapy].

An analysis is made of salvage treatments and their results after unsuccessful radiotherapy in 113 carcinomas of the larynx. A group of 27 patients (24%) was excluded from salvage treatment. In the remaining 86 patients (76%), radical surgical salvage treatment was tried: total laryngectomy (74 cases) or partial surgery (12 cases). Four of the 12 patients treated with partial surgery suffered a second local relapse, which was rescued by new surgery. Treatment was successful in 72% of the laryngectomized patients and in all those treated with partial surgery. Survival correlated with local (T) and regional (N) extension of the initial tumor, its location, and simultaneous regional relapse. In contrast, survival did not correlate with the time interval between end of radiotherapy and relapse, or with local tumoral extension in the resection piece in surgically treated cases (rpT).