Faculty Collaboration Database

Executive Summary of the American Radium Society Appropriate Use Criteria for Management of Early Glottic Cancer: A Review. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2025 Oct 01;151(10):992-1002

Date

08/28/2025

Pubmed ID

40875219

DOI

10.1001/jamaoto.2025.2580

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-105018311294 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)

Abstract

IMPORTANCE: Stage I squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the glottic larynx carries a favorable prognosis after treatment with endoscopic surgery or radiation therapy (RT). In addition to tumor control, goals of therapy include preservation of voice quality, swallow function, and breathing. Multidisciplinary consensus guidelines are needed to assist clinicians in treatment selection and the appropriate use of both surgical and radiation-based techniques.

OBSERVATIONS: Treatment of clinical T1N0 glottic SCC has evolved over time, with advances in both transoral laser microsurgery and RT designed to become more targeted and reduce the overall treatment burden for patients. When selecting a treatment option, consideration should be given to patient-specific factors, including tumor position/extent, age, and medical and psychosocial factors. This 16-member multidisciplinary American Radium Society (ARS) Head and Neck Cancer Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) expert panel performed a review of the English-language medical literature from 2000 to 2022 to inform consensus guidelines. Clinical case variants were developed to represent commonly encountered clinical scenarios, and the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method was used to rate the appropriate use of various treatments. The modified Delphi method was used to reach consensus recommendations, which were approved by the ARS Executive Committee and subject to public comment per established ARS procedures.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Given the range of treatment options available, early glottic SCC management should be done in a multidisciplinary fashion including otolaryngologists and radiation oncologists. The ARS Head and Neck AUC expert panel created an appropriate-use consensus document by performing a literature review of the current treatment strategies for stage I glottic SCC, providing recommendations regarding the appropriateness of surgery or RT for various clinical scenarios and highlighting areas of controversy and uncertainty.

Author List

Shukla ME, Misono S, Amini A, Sieracki R, Takiar V, Ward MC, Bakst R, Chandra RA, Chang SS, Choi K, Galloway T, Hu KS, Robbins JR, Siddiqui F, Walker G, Witek ME, Margalit DN

Author

Monica E. Shukla MD Associate Professor in the Radiation Oncology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
Glottis
Humans
Laryngeal Neoplasms
Neoplasm Staging
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Societies, Medical
United States