‘How long do I have?’ – examining survival outcomes in laryngeal cancer patients managed with non-curative intent in Northern UK: insights from the northern head & neck cancer alliance retrospective study

Introduction

Historically, 15% of laryngeal cancer patients undergo non-curative management, but pragmatic data on this group are limited. This information is crucial to help patients make informed decisions about their care. Supported by the Northern Head & Neck Alliance, this retrospective study is the first to present survival outcomes for non-curative laryngeal cancer patients in Northern UK.

Methods

Retrospective data were compiled for patients with laryngeal squamous cell cancer from five large tertiary head and neck centres in Northern UK (Newcastle, Glasgow, Sheffield, Leeds, and Middlesbrough). The collected data encompassed demographic details, treatment and clinical outcomes.

Results

Among 373 patients, the mean age was 72, and 73% were male. The median follow-up was 6 months. 17% had early-stage (T1-2), and 83% had late-stage (T3-4) disease. By data collection, 99% had died.

The mean survival time (MST) was 9.1 months. Patients with metastases had an MST of 6.9 months, while those without had 9.4 months. Early-stage patients had an MST of 13.3 months, compared to 8.2 months for advanced disease. By subsite, MSTs were 8.2 months for supraglottic, 12.5 for glottic, 5.5 for subglottic, and 7.9 for transglottic cancers.

Conclusion

This study stands as the first to explore survival outcomes in laryngeal cancer patients undergoing non-curative management. The findings can provide valuable insights for informing patients about survival in the absence of radical treatment, facilitating important decision-making conversations.