ObjectiveTo explore the feasibility to restore pronunciation function by repairing partial suprahyoid epiglottis-preserved circumferential defect in near total laryngectomy with anterior medial thigh flap in advanced laryngeal cancer. Methods A retrospective study of 5 male patients with advanced laryngeal cancer between August 2019 and October 2022, aged 56-73 years, with an average age of 65 years were reviewed. The disease duration ranged from 3 to 24 months, with an average of 8 months. Tumor classification by location: 2 cases of glottic type, 2 cases of supraglottic type, and 1 case of subglottic type; TNM staging: 3 cases of T4N0M0 stage, 1 case of T4N1M0 stage, and 1 case of T4N2M0 stage; American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging (2017): stage Ⅳ. Near total laryngectomy with partial suprahyoid epiglottis-preserved and selective bilateral neck dissection were performed before the anterior medial thigh flap was used to repair the circumferential defects. The flap size ranged from 6 cm×5 cm to 8 cm×6 cm. Four patients underwent adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy after operation, while 1 patient did not receive any other adjuvant treatment such as radiochemotherapy. Results The flaps of all 5 patients survived without obvious neck infection. One patient developed a slight pharyngeal fistula after oral feeding at 1 month after operation, which healed after another week of gastric feeding. Primary healing also achieved in the thigh donor area. One patient had bilateral cervical lymph node metastasis, and 1 patient had lymph node metastasis on one side. The remaining 3 patients had no cervical nodes metastasis on both sides. All 5 patients were followed up 12-36 months, with an average of 27.6 months. Four patients had clear, audible, and hoarse voice while 1 patient (case 3) had pronunciation similar to whispering. Laryngoscopy showed that the reconstructed laryngeal inlet was fissure-shape and the reconstructed laryngo-trachea canal below the laryngeal inlet was gradually enlarged. At 1 month after operation, the gastric tube was withdrawn and the food was taken orally. There was no obvious aspiration pneumonia. The tracheostomy tube could be blocked in 4 patients for from 30 seconds to 3 minutes. Among them, 3 patients were able to make a noticeable pronunciation even when the tube was not blocked, and they were able to engage in barrier-free language communication; the tracheostomy tube could not be blocked in 1 patient who had a pronunciation similar to whispering. Preliminary voice analysis showed that the patients have a relaxed and natural pronunciation, without obvious breath-holding or air-swallowing movement, compared to patients with esophageal pronunciation. Decannulation did not achieved until the last follow-up in all 5 patients. ConclusionThe anterior medial thigh flap can repair circumferential defects after near total laryngectomy in advanced laryngeal cancer patients and achieve satisfactory pronunciation, thus can serve as an effective pronunciation rehabilitation method. The preserved part of epiglottis may play a role to prevent postoperative aspiration.
ObjectiveTo comprehensively analyze the disease burden of respiratory cancers in China from 1990 to 2021, and predict the trend of disease burden changes from 2022 to 2031, in order to improve its prevention and treatment strategies. MethodsData from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database were extracted and analyzed for the disease burden of nasopharyngeal cancer, laryngeal cancer, and tracheal, bronchial and lung cancers (hereinafter referred to as lung cancer) in China from 1990 to 2021. The Joinpoint 4.9.1.0 software was utilized to analyze the corresponding trends. The grey prediction model [GM (1,1)] was employed to forecast the disease burden of respiratory cancers in China from 2022 to 2031. ResultsThe disease burden of respiratory cancers attributed to tobacco and occupational carcinogens in China has been rising year by year from 1990 to 2021. Among the respiratory cancers, lung cancer led in terms of incidence, mortality, and DALYs and their respective age-standardized rates from 1990 to 2021, followed by nasopharyngeal cancer, with laryngeal cancer being the lowest. Analysis via the Joinpoint regression model indicated that, overall, the disease burden of nasopharyngeal and laryngeal cancers in China decreased during this time period, while that of lung cancer increased. From a gender perspective, the disease burden of male patients with nasopharyngeal, laryngeal, and lung cancers was significantly higher than that of female patients from 1990 to 2021. Compared to the global average, the disease burden of respiratory cancers in China from 1990 to 2021 was still relatively heavy. As of 2021, the middle-aged and elderly population above 50 years old was the primary group suffering from the disease burden of respiratory cancers in China. The prediction model showed that the age-standardized rate of nasopharyngeal cancer in China would decline from 2022 to 2031; the age-standardized incidence rate of laryngeal cancer in China would increase, while its age-standardized mortality rate and DALY rate would both decrease; the age-standardized rates of lung cancer in China would all increase. ConclusionIn the past 30 years, the disease burden of nasopharyngeal and laryngeal cancers in China has lightened, but the overall disease burden of lung cancer is still on the rise. Compared to the global average, the disease burden of respiratory cancers in China is still relatively heavy. The disease burden in male patients is significantly higher than in female patients, and the population above 50 years old is the main group suffering from the disease burden. In the next 10 years, the disease burden of respiratory cancers in China will still tend to increase. Therefore, targeted prevention and treatment strategies for men and the middle-aged and elderly populations remain key challenges that urgently need to be addressed in China's response to respiratory cancers.