Clinical results of larynx preservation surgery for hypopharyngeal cancer: Prognosis and recurrent cancer

We evaluated the treatment outcome (prognosis, and the incidence and site of recurrent cancer in eight patients undergoing larynx preservation surgery for hypopharyngeal cancer in our department between 2004 and 2008. The overall five-year survival rate was 66.7%. The five-year disease-free survival rate of all cases was 50.0%. Recurrent cancer occurred in four (50.0%) patients. Lung metastasis occurred in one patient with pyriform sinus cancer at 12 months after treatment. Within seven months after treatment, the recurrence in the retropharyngeal lymph node or the mediastinal lymph node occurred in three patients with pN0 posterior wall cancer. Concomitant chemo-radio therapy was performed in three patients with lymph node recurrence. The overall response rate was 100%, CR in 2 patients and PR in one patient. We speculated that prophylactic postoperative radiotherapy was effective for regional lymph node recurrence based on our present study. However, we should investigate the therapeutic efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy for prevention of lymph node recurrence without radiotherapy, because we will reserve radiotherapy as an therapeutic option for recurrent cancer or secondary cancer.