OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of surgical treatment and combined therapy of advanced pyriform sinus cancer.

METHODSTotally 153 patients with locally advanced pyriform sinus cancer who received surgical treatment in our department from January 1974 to December 1999 were divided into three groups: preoperative radiotherapy with 45.5 Gy followed by surgery (R + S group, n = 125), including 32 laryngeal function sparing surgery; surgery alone (Sa group, n = 13); and surgery followed by postoperative radiotherapy with 56.3 Gy (S + R group, n = 15). Twenty-one patients received piriformectomy, 10 piriformectomy plus partial laryngectomy, and 1 total hypopharyngectomy and pharyngoesophagectomy with laryngeal spared and colon reconstruction. Among 121 patients who did not receive laryngeal function sparing surgery, 13 received near total laryngectomy, 55 total laryngectomy, and 53 total laryngectomy plus total hypopharyngectomy and pharyngoesophagectomy with reconstruction. Eight-six patients received radical neck dissection, 14 modified neck dissection, and 6 lateral neck dissection. Survival rate and laryngeal function sparing rate were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and COX model respectively.

RESULTSThe overall 5-year survival rates were 46.51% in R + S group, 18.33% in Sa group, and 44.44% in S + R group. Laryngeal sparing rate were 13.61% (R + S group), 0 (Sa group), and 0 (S + R group), respectively. R + S group, S + R group and combined therapy group (R + S group plus S + R group) showed superiority over Sa group in teams of 5-year survival rate (P = 0.0364, P = 0.0462, P = 0.000). R + S group showed superiority over S + R group and Sa group in teams of laryngeal sparing rate. Therapy mode was the most important factor that contributed to 5-year survival rate and laryngeal sparing. No significant differences were found in complication rate among the groups.

CONCLUSIONPreoperative radiotherapy conduces to preserve laryngeal function of patients with locally advanced pyriform sinus carcinoma.