Cancer of the vocal cords - squamous cell carcinoma

This gentleman had a squamous cell carcinoma or cancer of the right vocal cord. He had only smoked 2 cigarettes per year, so it is unlikely the tobacco had much to do with his cancer. As bad as this looks, it was possible to appeal this cancer off the vocal cord. It had not grown into the vocal cord. After removal, the right vocal cord was very stiff, but his voice returned to normal since the left vocal cord could vibrate normally. In the bottom photo, taken over one year after surgery, his right vocal cord has a fairly normal structure.