The cases of 152 patients with transglottic carcinoma were reviewed. There were 31% T2, 39% T3, and 30% T4 lesions. Twenty-six percent of patients had neck node metastases at initial presentation, and 19% with no neck dissection or radical irradiation to the neck subsequently developed neck metastases. Patients treated with voice conservation surgery +/- neck dissection +/- radiation (VCS +/- ND +/- R) had small transglottic carcinomas, whereas total laryngectomy +/- neck dissection +/- radiation (TL +/- ND +/- R) was used for patients with larger lesions. The reason for radiation alone (RA) was the patient's poor general condition or refusal of surgery. The total failure rate (primary, neck, and distant metastases) was 39%. Patients treated with TL +/- ND +/- R had fewer primary and stomal failures (12%) than those treated by VCS +/- ND +/- R (23%) and RA (33%), but ultimate failure after salvage treatment was the same (12%-13%). Sixty percent of patients treated with VCS and 67% with RA had their voices preserved. The major complication rate (overall, 16%) was highest in the group treated with VCS +/- ND +/- R. Five-year observed and adjusted survival for the entire group was 47% and 55%, respectively. The lower survival in the RA group was attributable to a high death rate from intercurrent disease. The incidence of second tumors was 14%. Unfavorable prognostic factors were older age, pretreatment tracheostomy, advanced stage and the presence of tumor in surgical specimen, and lymph nodes.