OBJECTIVE: The involvement of the anterior commissure (AC) is regarded to be a risk factor for poor results after transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) for early glottic cancer. The objective of this study was to determine how AC-related clinical and radiological factors affected oncological outcomes in a cohort of patients with T1 stage early glottic carcinoma involving the anterior commissure who were treated with TLM with negative surgical margins.
METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed on clinical, radiological, and follow-up data of patients consecutively treated with TLM at a tertiary academic center between November 2011 and August 2021 for T1 glottic squamous cell carcinoma involving the anterior commissure. Recurrence-free survival (RFS), local control with laser alone (LCL), laryngeal preservation (LP), and overall survival (OS) rates (Kaplan-Meier) were the primary outcome metrics.
RESULTS: In our series, 5-year OS probability was 75.1%, RFS was 64.8%, LCL was 73.8%, and LP was 83.4%. OS and RFS were higher in patients with early stages of AC pattern than in patients with advanced stage (p = 0.004, p = 0.034, respectively). Vertical extension ratio was found to be associated with OS and RFS (p = 0.023, p = 0.001, respectively), and thyroid cartilage interlaminar angle with LCL by multiple Cox regression analysis (p = 0.041).
CONCLUSIONS: TLM remains a valuable treatment option for AC involvement. AC3 type involvement and elevated vertical extension ratio were associated with negative prognosis. There have been signs that thyroid cartilage with a narrow angle increases recurrence. Alternative modalities should be kept in mind in the treatment decision of these cases.

Transoral laser microsurgery represents the primary surgical modality for early laryngeal cancers with oncologic outcomes equivalent to radiotherapy. Accurate tumor mapping and margin assessment can be difficult, however, particularly during piecemeal or ablative resections, and for tumors with a wider geographic footprint. Tumor-targeted fluorescence-guided surgery in patients with head and neck cancer has empirically improved tumor and margin identification; this case details, for the first time, a fluorescence-guided surgical resection of a T2N0M0 transglottic tumor using panitumumab-IRDye800, an epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibody covalently linked to near-infrared (NIR) dye. Laryngoscope, 134:1837-1841, 2024.

BACKGROUND: For recurrent laryngeal cancer, the feasibility of salvage transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) remains controversial. This study compared the efficacy of TLM and open partial laryngectomy (OPL) for treatment of early local recurrence of glottic squamous cell cancer (GSCC) and confirm the effectiveness of salvage TLM as a treatment option.
METHODS: This retrospective study involved 55 patients with early local recurrent GSCC treated with TLM, and the oncologic outcomes, functional outcomes, hospitalization time and complications were compared with a group of 40 recurrent GSCC patients matched for clinical variables of TLM group, treated by OPL by the same team of surgeons.
RESULTS: The 5-year overall survival and disease-specific survival rates were 65.8% and 91.5%, respectively, for 55 patients with rTis-rT2 stage treated by TLM and 77.1% and 94.7%, respectively, for 40 patients with rTis-rT2 stage treated by OPL (OPL group). In the TLM and OPL groups, the local control rates after 5 years were 77.5% and 79.3%, respectively, and the laryngeal preservation rates were 94.4% and 83.6%, respectively (p > 0.05). Compared with the OPL group, the complication rate (1.82%) and hospitalization duration (5.42 ± 2.26 days) were significantly lower in the TLM group (p < 0.05). Compared with the OPL group, postsurgical health-related quality of life and quality of voice were significantly better in the TLM group (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Salvage TLM can be used as an effective treatment option for suitable patients after a full, comprehensive, and careful assessment of the characteristics of early locally recurrent glottic carcinoma.

UNASSIGNED: To determine the 5-year survival outcomes of patients with oropharyngeal cancer treated with transoral laser microsurgery at our institution.
UNASSIGNED: A prospective longitudinal cohort study of all cases of oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer or clinically unknown primaries diagnosed at our institution between September 1, 2014, to December 31, 2019, treated with primary transoral laser microsurgery were analyzed. Patients with a previous history of head and neck radiation were excluded from analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to estimate 5-year overall survival, disease-specific survival, local control, and recurrence free survival rates in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
UNASSIGNED: Of 142 patients identified, 135 met criteria and were included in the survival analysis. Five-year local control rates in p16 positive and negative disease were 99.2% and 100%, respectively, with one locoregional failure in the p16 positive cohort. Five-year overall survival, disease-specific survival, and recurrence free survival in p16 positive disease were 91%, 95.2%, and 87% respectively (n = 124). Five-year overall survival, disease-specific survival, and recurrence free survival in p16 negative disease were 39.8%, 58.3%, and 60%, respectively (n = 11). The permanent gastrostomy tube rate was 1.5% and zero patients received a tracheostomy at the time of surgery. One patient (0.74%) required a return to the OR for a post-operative pharyngeal bleed.
UNASSIGNED: Transoral laser microsurgery is a safe primary treatment option for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma with high 5-year survival outcomes, notably in p16 positive disease. More randomized trials are needed to compare survival outcomes and associated morbidity in transoral laser microsurgery compared to treatment with primary chemoradiation.
UNASSIGNED: 3.

UNASSIGNED: This review assesses the effect on intra- and postoperative patient outcomes of the timing of neck dissection in relation to transoral surgery. Outcome measures include postoperative bleeding, intra- and postoperative fistula formation, and disease-specific and overall survival.
UNASSIGNED: A search was conducted across the MEDLINE, Embase, US National Library of Medicine, and Cochrane databases with search terms in July 2021.
UNASSIGNED: Articles that conformed with specified inclusion criteria were included. Included articles were scanned for bias with the ROBINS-I tool.
UNASSIGNED: Nineteen articles were selected for qualitative analysis, including 546 patients who had neck dissection in conjunction with transoral robotic surgery/transoral laser microsurgery (TORS/TLM). Seventy-one (18%) patients had neck dissection prior to TORS/TLM, 39 (10%) had neck dissection performed after TORS/TLM, and 281 (72%) had concurrent procedures. In patients with neck dissection before TORS/TLM, 3% experienced major postoperative bleeding, and fistula rates were 0%. In the cohort with neck dissection after TORS/TLM, 3% experienced minor postoperative hemorrhage, and 8% had intraoperative fistulae. In the concurrent cohort of patients, 1% had major postoperative bleeds and 0.3% had minor bleeds, while 4% developed intraoperative fistulas and 0.3% developed postoperative fistulas.
UNASSIGNED: Current evidence indicated that there appears to be no correlation between timing of neck dissection and complications. This systematic review found insufficient data to comment on whether the timing of neck dissection in relation to TORS/TLM affects the outcomes of patients.

UNASSIGNED: The power output from carbon dioxide (CO2) laser fibers has the potential to be diminished if there are any bends along its course, which may alter the effect the laser has on the target tissue. In this study, we assess how bending of CO2 laser flexible fiber assemblies affects the energy output measured at the end of the fiber.
UNASSIGNED: Laboratory study.
UNASSIGNED: Laboratory.
UNASSIGNED: Eight separate flexible fibers were tested-4 were of a type commonly used in endoscopic airway procedures, and the other 4 were a type used in otologic surgery. Fibers were bent in various configurations, and the power output of a CO2 laser fired through the bent fiber was measured. The output through the bent fiber was normalized to the output with a straight fiber. Correlations between bend parameters and power outputs was tested using Spearman\'s correlation coefficient.
UNASSIGNED: For the airway fibers, there was a weak trend toward increasing energy outputs with greater radius of curvature (P = .714) and a negative correlation between the energy output and arc of rotation (P = .043). For the otologic fibers, there was a trend toward increasing energy outputs with greater radius (P = .084) and a strong negative correlation between the energy output and the arc of rotation (P = .006).
UNASSIGNED: CO2 laser energy output is reduced by bending of the laser fiber assembly. When using the CO2 laser fiber, surgeons should be aware of any bends in the fiber and are encouraged to take measures to minimize bending.

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx is a malignancy of increasing prevalence. The oncologic community is currently evaluating the safety and efficacy of de-intensifying treatment without compromising oncologic outcomes. Paramount to these treatment algorithms is primary surgery through transoral approaches. This article reviews the literature and concepts pertaining to transoral surgery and describes the two most common techniques, transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) and transoral robotic surgery (TORS).
UNASSIGNED: Das mit dem humanen Papillomavirus (HPV) assoziierte Plattenepithelkarzinom des Oropharynx ist ein Malignom mit zunehmender Prävalenz. In der onkologischen Fachwelt werden derzeit die Sicherheit und Wirksamkeit deintensivierender Behandlungsansätze ohne Beeinträchtigung der onkologischen Ergebnisse geprüft. Von entscheidender Bedeutung bei diesen Behandlungsalgorithmen ist die primäre Chirurgie über transorale Zugangswege. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird ein Überblick über die Literatur und Konzepte in Bezug auf die transorale Chirurgie gegeben, und es werden die beiden am meisten verbreiteten Verfahren beschrieben, die transorale Lasermikrochirurgie (TLM) und die transorale robotische Chirurgie (TORS).

UNASSIGNED: Complete en bloc supraglottic tumor excision with transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) can be achieved with good postoperative outcomes. We report surgical feasibility and the postsurgical outcomes of en bloc resection of supraglottic laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC) with TLM.
UNASSIGNED: Seventeen patients who underwent TLM for supraglottic laryngeal cancer were included in the study. Demographic and pathological data, clinic and follow-up outcomes of the patients were reviewed and analyzed.
UNASSIGNED: Type 1 TLM was performed in three patients, type 2a in one patient, type 3b in 12 patients, and type 4b in one patient. Negative surgical margins were achieved in all of the cases. Re-excision or any adjuvant treatment for positive resection margins was not required in any of the cases. Eight patients received adjuvant radiotherapy due to lymph node metastasis. Mean follow-up time was 33.8±15.7 months (range: 10-65 months). None of the patients had recurrence or distant metastasis.
UNASSIGNED: The transoral approach with the use of CO2 laser and microscopy offers complete tumor excision for treating supraglottic LSCC. The three-dimensional structure of the supraglottis can be achieved with adequate exposure. En bloc resection is possible with safe margins.

BACKGROUND: In the past few decades, a re-evaluation of treatment paradigms of head and neck cancers with a desire to spare patients the treatment-related toxicities of open surgery, has led to the development of new minimally invasive surgical techniques to improve outcomes. Besides Transoral Laser Microsurgery (TLM), a new robotic surgical technique namely Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) emerged for the first time as one of the two most prominent and widely used minimally invasive surgical approaches particularly for the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer, a sub-entity of head and neck cancers. Recent population-level data suggest equivalent tumor control, but different total costs, and need for adjuvant chemoradiation. A comparative analysis of these two techniques is therefore warranted from the cost-utility (C/U) point of view.
METHODS: A cost-utility analysis for comparing TORS and TLM was performed using a decision-analytical model. The analyses adopted the perspective of a Swiss hospital. Two tertiary referral centers in Lausanne and Zurich provided data for model quantificantion.
RESULTS: In the base case analysis TLM dominates TORS. This advantage remains robust, even if the costs for TORS reduce by up to 25%. TORS begins to dominate TLM, if less than 59,7% patients require adjuvant treatment, whereby in an interval between 55 and 62% cost effectiveness of TORS is sensitive to the prescription of adjuvant chemoradiation therapy (CRT). Exceeding 29% of TLM patients requiring a revision of surgical margins renders TORS more cost-effective.
CONCLUSIONS: Non-robotic endoscopic surgery (TLM) is more cost-effective than robotic endoscopic surgery (TORS) for the treatment of oropharyngeal cancers. However, this advantage is sensitive to various parameters, i.e.to the number of re-operations and adjuvant treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the oncologic and functional outcomes of transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) for glottic cancers in patients ≥80 years.
METHODS: Prospectively collected case series.
METHODS: QEII Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, Canada.
METHODS: This case series used a prospectively collected glottic cancer database to examine consecutive elderly patients (≥80 years old) undergoing TLM. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate rates of disease-free, disease-specific, and overall survival as the primary end points of oncologic control. Secondary functional outcomes included voice function, length of hospital stay, and time to readmission.
RESULTS: From 2005 to 2017, 17 octogenarian patients underwent TLM for glottic cancer. Median follow-up was 4.19 years (interquartile range, 0.71-6.95). Kaplan-Meier estimates of 5-year survival were 78.4% (disease free), 92.9% (disease specific), and 81.9% (overall). The median length of hospital stay was 1 day (range, 0-8). There was only 1 readmission within 30 days of surgery. No patients in this study developed significant surgical or postoperative complications requiring unplanned readmissions. Patient-perceived voice function improved to normal after treatment in 62.5% of patients.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that TLM is a safe and effective treatment modality for glottic cancer in patients aged ≥80 years, providing good oncologic control and satisfactory functional outcomes.