# Recurrence of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma in patients undergoing organ preservation therapy: Are there symptoms associated with recurrence?

## TL;DR

This study found that weight loss and symptoms like pain are linked to recurrence in laryngeal cancer patients undergoing organ preservation therapy.

## Contribution

Identifies weight loss and symptom presence as significant predictors of recurrence in laryngeal cancer patients.

## Key findings

- The absence of symptoms, especially pain, was strongly associated with no relapse (p < 0.001).
- A fully oral diet at the last visit was linked to a lower risk of relapse (p = 0.005).
- Weight loss of 2.0% was a statistically significant predictor of recurrence.

## Abstract

•The absence of symptoms was associated with the absence of relapse (p < 0.001), especially pain.•A wholly oral diet at the last visit was a significant factor in the absence of relapse (p = 0.005).•Weight loss of 2.0% is an essential predictor of recurrence with statistical significance.

The absence of symptoms was associated with the absence of relapse (p < 0.001), especially pain.

A wholly oral diet at the last visit was a significant factor in the absence of relapse (p = 0.005).

Weight loss of 2.0% is an essential predictor of recurrence with statistical significance.

This study aims to evaluate whether patients with hypopharyngeal and/or laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) who underwent Organ Preservation Therapy (OPT) present at the time of relapse some factor that determines the local recurrence of the disease.

Patients submitted to OPT were selected at the Cancer Institute of the State of São Paulo (ICESP), at the end of treatment, from January 2012 to December 2017. We collected retrospective data on demographics, clinical staging, location of the primary tumor, presence or absence of recurrence, weight and percentage of weight loss at different moments, alimentary pathway and symptomatology at the time of relapse.

The absence of symptoms was associated with the absence of relapse (p < 0.001). Fully oral diet at the last visit was a significant factor for the absence of relapse (p = 0.005). The weight comparison of all the patients before the beginning of OPT and after the end of the treatment, showed an average drop of 3.4 kg. In the group-separated analysis, patients who did not recur showed an average loss of 0.7%. Patients with relapse, showed a loss of 2.0% of the weight at the time of relapse.

Weight loss and the presence of symptoms were important predictors of recurrence with statistical significance. These factors may help to better manage these patients, with earlier investigations and, therefore, the possibility of rescue treatments with a shorter duration.

Level III.