IN A recent review, the American Cancer Society estimated that there will be 580,000 Americans who will develop cancer and 305,000 who will die of cancer in 1967. The American Cancer Society also estimated that one in four persons in the United States will one day have cancer (50,000,000 persons).1
The added longevity to human life has increased the population of individuals beyond their middle years. As this group increases a proportionate rise in laryngeal malignancies has been observed. The various cancer registries indicate that over 5,000 new cases of cancer of the larynx were discovered last year and they estimate this figure is increasing by 4% each year.2
Patients cured with x-ray therapy usually have only minimal problems. Those treated with one of the various conservation surgical procedures do almost as well as the irradiated group. In marked contrast, the totally laryngectomized individual presents unique and challenging