Panel on epidemiology and etiology of laryngeal carcinoma

Ours is a developing country. We have still not controlled the common infectious diseases which are extinct in the West; therefore, our limited resources are spent on study of epidemiology of infectious diseases. My conclusions on epidemiology of cancer of the larynx are drawn from observations made of the clinical material over a period of 25 years. I have come to the conclusion that the smoked tobacco and the slaked lime in the Indian "Pan" are the two important carcinogenic agents. Poor nutrition appears to be carcinogenic. It requires study and confirmation at a cellular level. Misuse of voice does seem to be the cause of laryngeal cancer. Racial, genetic and other environmental factors, including pollution have not contributed to the increased incidence of laryngeal cancers. The common histological types of laryngeal cancer are known. My observations on certain biological behavior of the tumor have been helpful. 1. An exophytic growth is less infiltrative; its metastatic mass reflects the same characteristics. 2. Certain anaplastic tumors can flout all laws of cancer spread and metastasize in distal organs. 3. Presence of reticular hyperplasia in peripheral lymph nodes is of good prognostic value.