Lack of Prognostic Effect of Carbonic Anhydrase-9, Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α and Bcl-2 in 286 Patients with Early Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Glottic Larynx Treated with Radiotherapy

Aims: To evaluate the prognostic significance of potential tumour markers of hypoxia and apoptosis in early squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx managed with radiotherapy. Materials and methods: In total, 382 patients with T1 and T2 squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx (vocal cords) received radical radiotherapy (50-55 Gy, in 16 fractions in 98% of cases). Pre-treatment haemoglobin was available for 328 patients; biopsy samples were available for 286. Immunohistochemistry was carried out for carbonic anhydrase-9 (CA-9), hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and Bcl-2. Results: At 5 years, locoregional control was achieved in 88.2%, cancer-specific survival in 95.0% and overall survival in 78.7%. Adverse prognostic factors for locoregional tumour recurrence were pre-treatment haemoglobin