Cytotoxic T cells is an unique lymphocyte subpopulation able to recognize in specific manner and kill tumor cells. Therefore they constitute an important cells engaged in anti-tumor defense. The aim of the study was to determinate cytotoxic T cells frequency in peripheral blood and among lymphocytes isolated from regional lymph nodes. The study group consisted of twenty patients diagnosed with laryngeal cancer subjected surgical treatement. Cytotoxic T cells were estimated using three color flow cytometry based on CD3(+)CD8(+)CD28(-) GranzymeB(+) phenotype. Additionally TCR zeta chain expression and spontaneous apoptosis considered as a potential markers of immunosupressive effect exert by tumor were determined. In patients with laryngeal cancer significant increase of CD3(+)CD8(+)CD28(-) lymphocytes in peripheral blood in comparison to healthy control was observed. In lymph nodes the content of those cells was much lower, less than 10%, however in a group bearing metastases to regional lymph nodes higher than in a group without metastases. Cytotoxic T cells were also the main population subjected spontaneous apoptosis. The role and specificity of cytotoxic T cells in laryngeal cancer patients still remain to be elucidated, especially in respect to specificity of recognition tumor cell. Understanding details of this process may rise significant progress in an approach to diagnosis and therapy in laryngeal cancer patients.