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79th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

30.04. - 04.05.2008, Bonn

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Is there an improvement in the prognosis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma in the last 35 years?

Meeting Abstract

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  • corresponding author Frank Waldfahrer - Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Erlangen, Germany
  • author Ercan Guerlek - Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Erlangen, Germany
  • author Georgios Psychogios - Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Erlangen, Germany
  • author Heinrich Iro - Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Erlangen, Germany

German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. 79th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. Bonn, 30.04.-04.05.2008. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2008. Doc08hno28

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/hno2008/08hno28.shtml

Published: July 8, 2008

© 2008 Waldfahrer et al.
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Outline

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Within the group of head and neck cancer hypopharyngeal carcinoma shows the worst prognosis. While radical procedures such as laryngopharyngectomies were performed in the past, today definitive concomitant chemoradiotherapy is state-of-the-art in advanced hypopharyngeal cancer if surgery with preservation of the larynx seems not possible.

Between 1970 and 2005 968 patients (55,1±9,7 years, male to female ratio 11:1) with hypopharyngeal cancer were treated. Concomitant chemoradiotherapy was introduced in clinical practice in 1968 for definitive and for postoperative adjuvant treatment.

Within the years a slight increase in age and female proportion was observed.

Recurrence free survival was calculated in 5 year intervals: 1970-75, 20,3%, 1976-1980, 23,5%, 1981-1985, 31,5%, 1986-1990, 35,8%, 1991-1995, 43,2% and 1996-2000, 40,3%. The latest series from 2001-2001 shows currently a survival rate of 58,9%. The increase of survival correlates with the application of concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Therefore, concurrent chemoradiotherapy defines the new standard in treatment of hypopharyngeal cancer.