5. Management of carcinoma larynx
Diagnostic Work up for Carcinoma of The Larynx
General
History
Physical examination
Indirect laryngoscopy
Direct laryngoscopy
Biopsies
Radiographic studies
Chest x-ray films
Computed tomography with contrast (before biopsy)
Magnetic resonance imaging (selected cases)
6. History
• Hoarseness
• True vocal cords involved
• Recurrent laryngeal nerve involved
• Glottic cancer – early stage
• Supraglottic cancer – extensive disease
• Sore throat
• Pain on swallowing
• Usually mild
• Most frequent initial symptom
• Ear pain
• Referred pain to the ear
• Via vagus nerve and auricular nerve of Arnold
7. • Pain localized to the thyroid cartilage
• Thyroid cartilage invasion
• Airway obstruction
• Sensation of a “lump in the throat.”
• A mass in the neck may be the first sign of a supraglottic cancer.
• Late symptoms
• Weight loss
• Foul breath
• Dysphagia
• Aspiration
8. Physical examination
• Inspection and palpation of neck
• Laryngeal mirror examination
• Flexible fiber optic endoscopes
Vocal cord mobility
Pre-epiglottic space invasion
Postcricoid extension
Invasion of the thyroid cartilage
9. • Vocal cord mobility
• Mobile, partially fixed, and fixed
• Pre-epiglottic space invasion
• Diffuse, firm fullness above the thyroid notch
• Widening of the space between the hyoid and the thyroid cartilages
• Ulceration of the infrahyoid epiglottis or fullness of the vallecula
• Postcricoid extension
• Laryngeal click disappears
• Thyroid cartilage protrude anteriorly, producing a fullness of the neck
• Invasion of the thyroid cartilage
• Localized pain
• Tenderness to palpation
• Small bulge over one ala of the thyroid cartilage
10. Radiographic studies
• Method of choice – CT scan with contrast enhancement
• Should be performed before biopsy
• Preferred to magnetic resonance (MR) imaging
• CT slices 1 to 2 mm thick are obtained through the larynx
• CT scan of the entire neck to detect positive, nonpalpable lymph nodes
• Contrast enhancement outline the blood vessels and thyroid gland
• Magnetic resonance imaging (selected cases)
• To define subtle exolaryngeal spread
• Early cartilage destruction
• Early invasion of the base of the tongue
11. • CT in Vocal cord Carcinoma
• Not helpful for well-defined, easily visualized T1, or early T2 vocal cord
carcinomas
• Excellent for determining subglottic extension
• Extension outside the larynx into the soft tissues of the neck
• Potential for determining thyroid or cricoid cartilage invasion
• Supraglottic Carcinoma
• For viewing the preepiglottic and paraglottic fat spaces
• Soft-tissue extension into the neck or base of the tongue
22. Nodal staging (cN)
N Number Side Size ENE +/-
N1 Single Ipsilateral </=3cms -
N2
a Single Ipsilateral >3-</=6cms -
b Multiple Ipsilateral >3-</=6cms -
c S/M Bilateral/contralateral >3-</=6cms -
N3 a Any Any >6cms -
b Any Any Any +
23. Nodal staging (pN)
N Number Side Size ENE +/-
N1 Single Ipsilateral </=3cms -
N2
a Single Ipsilateral/contralateral </=3cms +
Ipsilateral >3-</=6cms -
b Multipl
e
Ipsilateral >3-</=6cms -
c S/M Bilateral/contralateral >3-</=6cms -
N3 a Any Any >6cms -
b Any Any Any +
28. TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
• T1-2N+ or T3 requiring total laryngectomy
• Concurrent chemo-RT
• If < CR
• salvage surgery ±
neck dissection
• If residual neck mass after RT
• initial N2–3 post-RT
• Neck dissection
29. TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS–Alternative
• Total laryngectomy
ipsilateral ± contralateral neck dissection
• +Margin or nodal ECE
• Post-op chemo-RT
• pT3–4, pN2–3
• close margin, PNI, LVSI
• ≥1 cm subglottic
extension, cartilage invasion
• Post-op RT
30. TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
• Resectable T4
• Total laryngectomy + ipsilateral / bilateral neck dissection
• Post-op RT
(Post-op chemo-RT for +margin or ECE)
33. Radiotherapy techniques
• Position :
• Supine with arms at sides
• Shoulders relaxed downward
• Neck neutral or extended.
• Immobilization
• 5-point thermoplastic head and shoulder mask
• Simulation
• 3 mm CT slices
• From vertex to midchest
• IV contrast to delineate major blood vessels
34. Radiotherapy techniques
• Beam arrangement: (conventional)
• 3-field approach
• Opposed laterals
• Matched to an anterior lower neck field
• cover primary site and cervical/SCV LN at risk
• Beam energy: 6MV
• Isocenter:
• Single isocenter used for both fields
36. Treatment port for early stage Ca Larynx
• Anterior :1.5-2 cms beyond
thyroid cartilage
• Superior : Top of thyroid
cartilage
• Posterior : Anterior margin
of vertebral bodies
• Inferior : Below cricoid
cartilage
37. Lateral DRR of a
field used to
treat a T1 glottic
carcinoma
43. Anterior lower neck treatment portal
• Superior: Match with inferior
border upper neck lateral
fields
• Inferior: Inferior edge of the
clavicular head
• Lateral: Two thirds of the
clavicle or 2 cm lateral to
adenopathy
45. Volumes to be treated
• IMRT – recommended for advanced lesions
• GTV = clinical and/or radiographic gross disease
• CTV1 = 5 mm margin on primary and 3–5 mm margin on nodes
• CTV2 = High-risk areas and nodal levels
• CTV3 = Elective nodal levels +/- tracheostoma
• PTV = CTV + 3–5 mm
• Extended-field whole neck IMRT preferred for larynx
46. Volumes to be treated
• High-risk volume
• Tracheostoma : if emergent tracheostomy
• Subglottic extension
• Tumor invasion of soft tissues of neck
• Extra nodal extension in level VI
• Close/positive margin
• Nodal coverage
• Levels II–IV
• Include IB and V on the involved N+ neck
• Level VI if subglottic or soft tissue extension
47. Dose prescription
• T1-2N0 Glottic larynx
• If 2 Gy/fx is used – total dose >66 Gy
• If 2.25 Gy/fx is used (preferred)
• Tis: 56.25–60.75 Gy.
• T1N0: 63 Gy.
• T2N0: 65.25 Gy.
• Evidence: Yamazaki IJROBP 2006
48. Dose prescription
• T3–4 and LN+: concurrent chemo-RT
• Standard-fractionation RT with cisplatin 100 mg/m2 q3 weeks ×3c
• Alternatively, cisplatin 40 mg/m2 weekly ×6c or cetuximab
• 70 Gy at 2 Gy/fx
• Definitive IMRT:
• PTV1: 2.12 Gy/fx to 69.96 Gy
• PTV2: 1.8 Gy/fx to 59.4 Gy
• PTV3: 1.64 Gy/fx to 54.12 Gy
• Evidence: MACH-NC Meta-analysis (Pignon Radiother Oncol 2009)
33# SIB technique
49. Dose prescription
• Post-op RT
• 60–66 Gy at 2 Gy/fx to high-risk areas and the post-operative bed
• 54 Gy to elective nodal volumes
• Chemo-RT indications
• Nodal ECE
• +Margin
• Evidence: EORTC 22931 (Bernier NEJM 2004) ; RTOG 95–01 (Cooper
NEJM 2004, IJROBP 2012); Combined analysis (Bernier Head Neck
2005)
50. DOSE LIMITATIONS
• Spinal cord max ≤45 Gy
• Brainstem max ≤54 Gy
• Parotid gland mean ≤ 26 Gy and V20 Gy ≤ 50%
• Submandibular mean ≤ 39 Gy
• Mandible max ≤70 Gy
• Retina max ≤45 Gy
• Cochlea mean (max) ≤ 37 (45) Gy
• Thyroid mean (max) ≤ 35 (45) Gy.
51. FOLLOW-UP
• 85–90% of locoregional recurrences occur within 3 years
• Year 1 : every 1–2 months
• Years 2–3 : every 3 months
• Years 4–5 : every 6 months
• Annually thereafter
• Imaging of neck if new signs or symptoms suggestive of recurrence
• Progressive laryngeal edema
• Fixation of previously mobile cord
• Persistent throat pain
H&P indirect mirror exam