Laryngeal cancer, also known as laryngeal carcinoma, is a type of cancer that affects the larynx or voice box. Risk factors include smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Symptoms include persistent sore throat, coughing up blood, and difficulty swallowing. Treatment involves removing the cancer to prevent it from spreading, which may include surgery or radiation therapy. In advanced cases, a laryngectomy may be necessary.
Laryngeal cancer is cancer of the larynx, an anatomical structure located in the throat and commonly called the voice box. Risk factors for laryngeal cancer include smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Symptoms of the disease may include persistent sore throat and coughing up blood. Treatment involves attempts to ensure that the cancer does not spread to other areas of the body. Laryngeal cancer may also be referred to as laryngeal carcinoma, laryngeal cancer, or laryngeal cancer.
Most cancers of the larynx are squamous cell carcinomas or cancer of the thin epithelial lining of the throat. Cancer can develop in any area of the larynx, but the most common location of laryngeal cancer is on the vocal cords or in the area directly adjacent to the vocal cords. The vocal cords are one of the major anatomical structures involved in the production of speech sounds and are located directly behind the neck prominence commonly called the Adam’s apple.
When a person develops cancer, it’s impossible for doctors to identify a single cause of the disease. Statistical studies, however, have made it possible to identify risk factors that can increase a person’s chances of developing cancer of the larynx. The major identifiable risk factors are smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Other less obvious factors include acid reflux, poor eating habits, and frequent or prolonged exposure to carcinogenic chemicals or fumes.
Symptoms of laryngeal cancer include abnormal breathing sounds, a persistent cough, difficulty swallowing, swelling or lumps in the neck, coughing up blood, a persistent sore throat, and hoarseness that doesn’t subside in one to two weeks. Unexpected weight loss or prolonged earache can also be signs of the disease. An individual experiencing these symptoms will most likely be advised to have a laryngoscopy, which is a procedure in which a throat doctor or laryngologist will look inside the throat with a special instrument called an endoscope. In some cases, the laryngologist may also cut out a small piece of tissue during laryngoscopy to later be tested in the laboratory. This is called a biopsy.
Treatment for cancer of the larynx will involve attempts to remove the cancer completely in order to prevent it from metastasizing or moving to other parts of the body. If the cancer is identified while it’s still small, a doctor may recommend surgery to remove the tumor or radiation therapy to shrink it. If the cancer is advanced, the individual may be advised to have a laryngectomy. Laryngectomy is the surgical removal of the larynx, which involves removing the vocal cords and surgically creating new airways. Individuals undergoing a laryngectomy require extensive speech therapy following the procedure.
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