Book 4 - Self Instructional Manual for Cancer Registrars - SEER ...

MalignantTumorsThe glottic region is the area of the larynx most commonly involved with cancer; however, thesetumors have the most favorable prognosis. The true vocal cords contain very few lymphatics, so theprobability of metastasis to regional nodes of an early cancer is small. In contrast, the supraglottishas an abundant supply of lymphatics. Cancers of the supraglottis quickly spread to the cervicallymph nodes. The subdigastric nodes of the internal jugular chain are commonly involved as well asthe prelaryngeal nodes. Thus, although supraglottic cancers rank second to glottic cancers infrequency, the prognosis is worse for patients with these cancers. The rarest form of laryngeal cancerarises in the subglottic region. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common cell type of all laryngealcancers.145