Blood vascular system in cancer of the larynx

Injection methods were used for the study of the blood vascular system in 50 specimens from total or subtotal laryngectomy in patients with extensive cancer of the larynx, and in 24 normal postmortem larynges. All specimens were injected via the superior laryngeal arteries. A silicone rubber technique was found to be the most suitable for the aims of this study. A chaotic distribution of abnormal vessels that differ in shape, a rich neovascular network within the tumor, and capillary hypertrophy in its vicinity are the main features of the blood vascular system in laryngeal cancer. The results obtained indicate great tumor-angiogenic ability that can be indirectly explained by action of an angiogenesis factor diffusing from cancer cells. This may open new possibilities for the treatment of carcinoma of the larynx based on anti-angiogenesis.