Type of treatment, sex, race and insurance status are associated with survival rates among patients with advanced laryngeal cancer, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.About 10,000 U.S. men and women each year are diagnosed with cancer of the larynx, or voice box, according to background information in the article. For many years, total removal of the larynx (laryngectomy) followed by radiation therapy was the standard treatment. “Unfortunately, patients treated with total laryngectomy experience a complete loss of voice and may also experience impairment of swallowing function, leading to decreased quality of life in many aspects, including nutrition, social functioning and personal hygiene.” Following additional clinical trials, some patients began receiving chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy as a larynx-preserving treatment.
