Are clinical classifications for laryngeal cancer satisfactory?

All clinical classifications for laryngeal cancer are compromises based on clinical and imaging evaluations, with no concern for important elements such as phenotype, host-tumor relationship, and any concomitant nonneoplastic disease. The various staging systems are critically examined along with a report on the outcome of an international survey on the applicability of the TNM system in relation to laryngeal neoplasms, promoted by The Laryngeal Cancer Association.