Cancer of the larynx; results of surgical and radiological treatment in one institution.

Of 67 consecutive patients with cancer of the larynx seen at the San Francisco General Hospital from 1948-1960 inclusive, 25 were treated primarily by radical radiotherapy and 31 by radical surgical operation. Of the 25 treated by radiotherapy (with surgery for failure in three instances) 13 apparently had arrest of disease and nine of these remained cured five or more years. Four died of intercurrent disease. Of the 31 treated primarily by radical operation (with subsequent radiation for surgical failure in 11 patients), 13 had potential arrest of disease and seven of the 13 remained cured for five or more years. Six died of intercurrent disease before the lapse of five years, three of them within four weeks of radical operation. Radical radiotherapy of laryngeal cancer produced results superior to those of radical surgery in patients seen and treated during the period under review in this hospital.