A retrospective study was made of a sample of 428 patients with laryngectomy for cancer of the larynx. We analyzed host-dependent factors, personal and familial antecedents, duration of evolution, symptoms, neoplasm site and TNM. Mean age was 60 years. Ninety-eight per cent of the patients were smokers and 60% were moderate or heavy drinkers. The most common location was the supraglottic region (67%) and 8.5% of patients were stage I, 35% stage II, 42% stage III and 15% stage IV.