Treatment of cancer of the larynx. Analysis of success and failure.

The treatment of patients with cancer of the larynx must consider the potential for multiple sites of origin and the possibility of regional metastasis. Treatment options must also address effects on the voice, deglutition, and the sphincteric function of the larynx which protects the lungs. Fortunately, our advanced techniques in surgery--reconstruction, radiotherapy, and endoscopic laser application--enable us to choose from and use these modalities in combination. Induction chemotherapy appears to be a promising, albeit unproved, adjuvant therapy. The oncologist dealing with cancer of the head and neck must select appropriate individualized therapy in a multidisciplinary environment.