[Reconstruction of the examination of the laryngeal carcinoma of Emperor Frederick III by Rudolf Virchow]

A "royal" total laryngectomy that never was

With this historical vignette, ending the series dedicated to the pioneers of total laryngectomy, published in the EuropeanAnnals of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Diseases to mark the 150th anniversary of the first description of this surgical procedure in humans, the authors recount what history called "The Crown Prince's illness", and wonder what might have happened if the total laryngectomy proposed for Crown Prince Friedrich had finally been performed.

125 years of head and neck radiotherapy: could organ-sparing radiotherapy of larynx cancer have prevented World War I?

PURPOSE

We aim to recapitulate the rapid development of head and neck radiotherapy in the context of otorhinolaryngology (ORL) medicine starting 125 years ago. This is put into context with the unsuccessful treatment of the laryngeal cancer (LC) of the German emperor Frederick III and its historical consequences.

METHODS

The three-step process consisted in the analysis of (1) historical sources of the development of ORL radiotherapy from the discovery of x‑rays and radioactivity until World War I, (2) course and treatment of Frederick's III LC, (3) political context with a special focus on the escalation towards World War I. Pertinent historical illustrations of technical developments of radiotherapy were summarized in a video.

RESULTS

ORL radiotherapy initiated on 03 February 1896, only 65 days after the discovery of X‑rays. By 1914, organ-sparing LC radiotherapy was established with a predominance of curietherapy over roentgentherapy. Correct diagnosis of Frederick III's primarily radiocurable cT1a glottic LC was delayed by one year, which resulted in advancement to a fatal pT4 pN1 Mx tumour stage. Historically, his successor, William II, was assumed to have contributed to the causes of World War I.

CONCLUSION

ORL radiotherapy came only eight years late to treat Frederick III who might have impeded World War I. This illustrates the potential impact of modern curative radiotherapy on the future course of public life beyond the personal fate of the patient himself.