The pros and cons of radiotherapy for laryngeal cancer treatment

Although the early symptoms of laryngeal cancer are relatively easy to identify, many patients are already in the middle or late stages of the disease when they are treated for laryngeal cancer. Of course, radiotherapy, a common cancer treatment method, cannot be ignored when treating middle or late stage laryngeal cancer .

In the past 30 years, there has been a relatively unified understanding of the therapeutic effect of radiotherapy for laryngeal cancer. The efficacy of radiotherapy alone for the treatment of early laryngeal cancer is similar to that of surgical resection and laser treatment for stage 1 lesions, with a 5-year survival rate of 85% to 95%; the radiotherapy control rate for stage 2 lesions is slightly lower, and is still inferior to laser treatment in strict comparison. However, radiotherapy has certain advantages in preserving the patient's voice after treatment. Preoperative radiotherapy for supraglottic laryngeal cancer (stages 1 to 3) can significantly reduce the neck recurrence rate, but long-term side effects such as dry throat after radiotherapy are obvious.

When radiotherapy is used as the basic treatment for advanced laryngeal cancer, surgical rescue should be an important part of the treatment plan. Some scholars believe that the survival effect of radiotherapy as the basic treatment is equivalent to that of surgery as the basic treatment, especially for stage 4 patients. Radiotherapy does not help preserve laryngeal function. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy is a major advancement in radiotherapy and has been used in the treatment of head and neck tumors. This method can improve the control rate and significantly reduce toxic reactions. It may become a new highlight in radiotherapy for laryngeal cancer.

The above introduction to radiotherapy in the treatment of laryngeal cancer is believed to be helpful to you. As for the treatment of laryngeal cancer, medicine has never stopped improving old methods and researching new methods. For more updated treatment methods for laryngeal cancer, please consult our online experts.