RESULTS:

Background: Nutritional factors in developing some malignancies have been investigated recently. Objective: In this study we evaluated the role of vitamin D in advanced laryngeal cancer and its association with the development of pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) following total laryngectomy. Study Design: A cross-sectional case-control study was conducted. Methods: Fifty-five patients with advanced laryngeal cancer referred for total laryngectomy were included. We also considered 55 healthy individuals after matching age and sex as a control group. Serum levels of 25(OH)D3 were measured using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. The association of serum 25(OH)D3 with PCF following total laryngectomy was also determined. Results: Vitamin D was significantly lower in patients with advanced laryngeal cancer than in the control group (p < 0.001). Moreover our results showed that a mean serum concentration of 25(OH)D3 in patients with PCF was significantly lower than in patients without PCF (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in advanced laryngeal cancer most pronounced in those who develop a PFC following total laryngectomy.