Larynx is an organ of phonation and serves as an air passage and as a sphincter guarding the airway. Its diseases and their treatment can alter the functional aspects of voice. In the ancient times, prior to the advent of tracheostomy, laryngeal cancer progressed to death due to asphyxiation. Over the years much advancement have taken place in the management of laryngeal cancer, with every effort being made to preserve as much of the organ as possible, so as to preserve the voice. Here, radiotherapy has proven a very viable alternative, to mutilating surgery the larynx, being more visceral, compared to the oral cavity, diagnostic aids, such as fibre optic instruments, CT and MRI have contributed greatly to assessing laryngeal lesions more accurately. The incidence of laryngeal cancer is 4-5 per 100,000 populations, being higher in Brazil, USA (blacks), Spain, Italy, France and India, while it is low in the Scandinavian countries. It is predominantly a male disease, with an average ratio of 6:1. Glottic cancers account for 60–65% of laryngeal cancers, the remainder being supraglottic cancers, with infraglottic lesions seen in less than 5% cases. However in India the incidence of supraglottic cancers is much higher. It is commonly seen in 40–80 years, with a peak incidence in the sixth decade. Glottic cancers are seen more commonly in the extremes of the economic strata, while supraglottic cancer is more a disease of the poor.