OBJECTIVETo discuss the clinical relevant factors causing recurrence and failure of laryngeal cancer after partial laryngectomy.

METHODSThe clinical data of 183 patients with laryngeal cancer who underwent partial laryngectomy from January 2005 to July 2009 in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. 12 selected factors which might cause recurrence including sex, age, smoking condition, drinking condition, laryngeal cancer type, T stage, N stage, clinical stage, pathological grade, mode of operation, radiotherapy and margin status were analyzed.

RESULTSIn the 183 patients, 37 cases were recurrence, the recurrence rate was 20.2%, 3-year survival rate was 83.1%, and 5-year-expected survival rate was 71.8%. Seven factors, i.e. T stage, N stage, pathological grades, surgical margins, radiotherapy, drinking and smoking condition were associated with recurrence after partial laryngectomy. Multivariate analysis showed that drinking condition, surgical margins, adjuvant radiotherapy and pN stage were the main factors affecting the prognosis of patients with partial laryngectomy, and they all were risk factors.

CONCLUSIONSSimple surgical treatment of early laryngeal cancer alone can achieve satisfactory therapeutic effect. However, multidisciplinary treatment mode of the operation combined with radiotherapy should be considered for patients with advanced laryngeal carcinoma and positive surgical margins.