Cancer of the larynx. I. Surgical treatment.

CANCER of the larynx is one of the most curable of all malignancies. Its early symptoms, unlike those of many other cancers, are generally not hidden. The patient and his family become aware of the hoarseness or other voice changes which in 90 percent of all cancers of the larynx, are the first indications of trouble. Of course, only a small percentage of the persons who develop hoarseness have cancer, but certainly hoarseness is a warning sign that no one should overlook or ignore. Cancer of the larynx comprises 3 to 5 percent of all human cancer. Approximately 14 out of every 100,000 persons have or have had the disease, with an estimated 3360 new cases occurring in the United States every year. It is seen most frequently in the sixth decade of life, although no age group is exempt, and it is found 10 times more frequently in men than in