From 1976 to 1989,81 patients with T2 and T3 laryngeal carcinomas were treated with vertical patrial laryngectomy at the University ENT Department of Thessaloniki, Greece. All patients were male with a median age of 56 years (33–71 years). Four patients had N, lymph nodes. Ten patients received post-operative radiotherapy. Seventeen patients developed local recurrences or distant metastases. Mean follow-up was more than seven years. Absolute three-year survival was 94.6 per cent for 74 patients and absolute five-year survival was 89.6 per cent for 58 patients. Actuarial five-year survival of the whole group of 81 patients was 91 per cent calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method. Recurrence rate and survival of stage II and III patients are also discussed and compared using the log-rank test. We conclude that vertical partial laryngectomy is avery successful treatment selection for T2 glottic and false vocal cord carcinomas and for someselected T3 glottic lesions.