Reproducibility of the radiomorphological Laryngeal Classification in Laryngectomy - Implications for the Contralateral Neck

Introduction Our group recently published a new classification scheme for advanced laryngeal carcinomas based on the tumor midline involvement based on cervical computed tomography (CT). It was shown that in the absence of a midline involvement (so called type A) in total laryngectomy (TL) a default contralateral elective neck dissection seems to be avoidable (Böttcher et al. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2017). The aim of the current study was to confirm this scheme on the basis of a Hamburg cohort.

Material & Methods We retrospectively investigated laryngectomized patients in the database of the Hubertus Wald Tumor Center (Universitäres Cancer Center Hamburg, UCCH) primarily due to a glottic or transglottic squamous cell carcinoma. The preoperative neck imaging (CT or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) was classified by a radiologist according to the mentioned scheme.

Results From an initial cohort of n = 58 TL patients, n = 30 could be examined after meeting the inclusion criteria. 50 % each received a CT and MRI. In accordance with the earlier results, 13.3 % were found to have no midline reference (type A). These, in turn, showed no contralateral regional metastasis, whereas a contralateral neck involvement could be seen when the midline was involved or exceeded.

Conclusion A contralateral elective neck dissection seems to be avoidable in so-called type A growth of glottic or transglottic carcinomas. This could now be confirmed by a second German cohort.

Poster-PDF A-1543.PDF

Publication History

Article published online:
10 June 2020