Executive Summary of the American Radium Society Appropriate Use Criteria for Management of Early Glottic Cancer: A Review
Recommended Citation
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, and Margalit DN. Executive Summary of the American Radium Society Appropriate Use Criteria for Management of Early Glottic Cancer: A Review. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2025;151(10):992-1002.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-1-2025
Publication Title
JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg
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.
Medical Subject Headings
Humans; Laryngeal Neoplasms; Glottis; Societies; Medical; Neoplasm Staging; United States; Carcinoma; Squamous Cell; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
PubMed ID
40875219
ePublication
ePub ahead of print
Volume
151
Issue
10
First Page
992
Last Page
1002
