Survival analysis of laryngeal carcinoma without laryngectomy, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy

This study aimed at investigating the survival rate and prognostic factors of laryngeal carcinoma patients in the absence of the use of laryngectomy, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. A total of 167 cases of laryngeal carcinoma without the use of laryngectomy, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy were analyzed retrospectively. Surveyed items included age, smoking history, tumor family history, tuberculosis history, primary site, pathological grade, T-stage, N-stage, clinical stage, and whether tracheotomy had been performed. Survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method. For univariate analysis, comparison among/between groups was performed using the log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was carried out using the Cox proportional hazard model. Overall median survival time was 16 ± 1.44 months, and overall 1- and 2-year survival rates were 56.4 and 26.5%, respectively. No patient survived over 5 years in cases diagnosed for more than 5 years (except for cases that were lost). The median survival time of clinical stage 0/I/II was 28 ± 3.81 months, and 1- and 2-year survival rates were 79.3 and 59.3%, respectively; the median survival time of III/IV clinical stages was 11 ± 1.32 months, and 1- and 2-year survival rates were 45.5 and 10.6%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that primary site, pathological grade, T-stage, N-stage, and clinical stage were significant prognostic factors for the survival of the patients (P < 0.05). Whether tracheotomy had been performed was not significant for affecting survival rates. Multivariate analysis showed survival rates were statistically correlated with T-stage and N-stage (P < 0.05). The development of laryngeal carcinoma course was faster, without treatment to the tumor itself, even if palliative surgery such as tracheostomy would not improve the survival rate. In laryngeal carcinoma patients with no surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, the factors affecting the survival rates include primary site, pathological grade, T-stage, N-stage, and clinical stage, and of them, T-stage and N-stage are the independent prognostic factors.