IN ORDER to discuss the choice of operation in the treatment of carcinoma of the larynx, the nomenclature must be defined. There have been many interpretations of the terms "intrinsic" and "extrinsic" lesions of the larynx, but in this article the classifications suggested by T. E. Walsh, of St. Louis, will be used:
Intrinsic: Confined to the true vocal cord only
Endolaryngeal: Involving structures within the laryngeal box, i. e., the ventricles, ventricular bands, arytenoids, and interarytenoid space and those cancers of the vocal cord which have spread across the anterior commissure
Without fixation of the vocal cord or arytenoid
With fixation of the vocal cord or arytenoid
Histologic grade
Subglottic
Extrinsic or Extralaryngeal
It must be remembered that a cancer starting in one area may enlarge and invade another. It is said that the tumors should be classified according to the place