[Local and lymph node recurrence of epitheliomas starting in the glottis, treated by partial laryngeal surgery: apropos of 432 patients].

Four hundred and thirty-two patients with a carcinoma of the true vocal cord, treated with a partial laryngectomy from 1972 through 1984, were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were staged as NO, MO. Survival and death rates were not presented. A three-year minimum follow-up was achieved in 97% of the cases. Local and cervical recurrences were presented and analyzed. Factors such as local tumor extent, impaired mobility of the true vocal cord, invasion of conus elasticus or thyroid cartilage, and positive margins of resection enhance the outcome of local and cervical recurrences. This present report underscores that thyrotomies, hemilaryngectomies, and cricohyoidoepiglottopexies should be adapted to the exact tumor location and the laryngeal mobilities. Cervical lymph node recurrence is less likely to happen if local control is achieved. The role and rationale for an associated elective ipsilateral cervical and paratracheal lymph chain dissection are presented and advocated.