Sammendrag

• Eleventh most common form of cancer and second most common malignancy of the upper aerodigestive tract in men.
• Smoking and alcohol use frequently associated with development of the disease.
• Hoarseness, dysphonia, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, referred otalgia, vocal cord lesions on indirect laryngoscopy, and neck mass/adenopathy that persists for >3 weeks are sentinel signs that should be evaluated by an otolaryngologist.
• Multi-disciplinary approach (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, speech rehabilitation) is the best method of treatment for organ preservation, with salvage surgical resection offered in advanced-stage disease.
• Overall mortality has not changed in nearly 30 years, but rate of organ preservation has significantly improved.