Oncologic Outcomes and Treatment Feasibility of Transoral Carbon Dioxide Laser Microsurgery for Hypopharyngeal Tumors in Older Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Takeharu Ono, Shun‐ichi Chitose, Takashi Kurita, Fumihiko Sato, Mioko Fukahori, Shintaro Sueyoshi, Toshihiko Kawaguchi, Tunehiro Oka, Taikai Kuroiwa, Hirohito UmenoABSTRACT
Background
We evaluated outcomes and complications of transoral CO 2 laser microsurgery (TLM) for hypopharyngeal tumors and its feasibility in ≥ 75‐year‐old patients.
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed 116 patients (without metastases) treated from February 2012 to October 2024 at our hospital. Oncologic outcomes were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier curves (110 patients; median follow‐up: 5.3 years).
Results
Five‐year local control, disease‐specific survival, and overall survival rates were 87.8%, 94.6%, and 85.6%, respectively. Postoperative dysphagia, aspiration pneumonia, pharyngolaryngeal edema, and vocal fold paralysis occurred in 9%, 4%, 3%, and 3% of patients, respectively; none required tracheostomy or surgical hemostasis under general anesthesia. The group with a history of head and neck irradiation had higher rates of dysphagia ( p = 0.010) and aspiration pneumonia ( p = 0.031) than those without. Differences between age groups were nonsignificant.
Conclusions
TLM appears safe and effective for older patients with appropriately selected hypopharyngeal tumors.