BENIGN TUMORS OF THE LARYNX: A STUDY OF SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY-TWO CASES

Benign tumors of the larynx are of interest and importance to the laryngologist, not only because of the symptoms which they produce by interference with the normal functions of the vocal mechanism or by obstruction of the respiratory tract but because of the necessity of distinguishing them from malignant laryngeal lesions. Tumors of a bengin nature do not occur frequently in the larynx. During the past thirty years 722 patients with benign laryngeal growths have been examined at the Mayo Clinic. It is interesting to find that these tumors, apparently, are encountered less often than are malignant neoplasms, as approximately 1,100 malignant tumors of the larynx were observed during this same period. In any discussion of benign tumors of the larynx, there arises the need of defining the term "benign laryngeal tumor." Occasionally, there occur benign new growths, composed of cells which resemble various normal tissue cells but which fulfill