[The evolution of epidemiology and clinical characteristics of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma in Poland from 1991 to 2001].

On the base of retrospective analysis of 12,888 cases of carcinoma of larynx and hypopharynx, diagnosed in 19 ENT Departments in Poland from 1991 to 2001, the assessment of basic epidemiological data, including the localization of tumor and stage of local and clinical advancement of the disease at the time of diagnosis has been conducted. In analyzed period of 11 years the trends to change of the mentioned above parameters has been examined. The significant increase of female patients in this period was observed, with average proportion M:F = 8:1. The glottis localization of carcinoma dominated (47.6%), followed by supraglottis (40.8%) and pyriform fossa (7.8%), with significant increase of pyriform fossa tumors in the analyzed period of 11 years. In the majority of cases the carcinoma of larynx and hypopharynx was diagnosed in the advanced stage (T3 + T4) of local disease, with the highest percentage in localization within the pyriform fossa (81.0%), and the lowest percentage in glottis tumors (45.6%). The regional lymph nodes metastases has been diagnosed in 46.7% of the analyzed group, with the highest percentage in tumors localized in pyriform fossa (82.9%), and the lowest percentage in tumors of glottis localization (33.1%). In the 11 years time the significant drop down of N0 cases and tendency to increase of N2 and N3 in the supraglottis localization of tumor. The distant metastases in the analyzed group at the time of diagnosis has been registered in 2.0%, with the highest percentage in posterior pharyngeal wall (7.6%) and pyriform fossa (7.4%). The authors postulate the renewal of prospective study on epidemiology, clinical characteristics and treatment results of larynx and hypopharynx carcinoma in Poland.