New Voices for Old

tive method of controlling laryngeal cancer which is locally very advanced, or where radiotherapy has already failed. Where the tumour is endo-laryngeal, a relatively favourable situation, a cure rate of at least 50% can be expected, and nearly all cases will have a fairly long survival in otherwise reasonable health. Where laryngectomy is part of the surgical treatment of hypopharyngeal cancer, however, the prognosis for cure remains poor, although useful palliation is often achieved; life expectancy is generally rather short and problems in achieving vocal rehabilitation are formidable. It is estimated that every year in England and Wales about 300 laryngectomies are carried out