Laryngeal Cancer

What is the Larynx ?

The larynx is an organ at the front of your neck. It is also called the voice box. It is about 2 inches long and 2 inches wide. It is above the windpipe (trachea). Below and behind the larynx is the esophagus. The larynx has two bands of muscle that form the vocal cords. The cartilage at the front of the larynx is sometimes called the Adam's apple.

The larynx has three main parts : -

• The top part of the larynx is the supraglottis.
• The glottis is in the middle. Your vocal cords are in the glottis.
• The subglottis is at the bottom. The subglottis connects to the windpipe.

Who's at risk for larynx cancer ?

No one knows the exact causes of cancer of the larynx. Doctors cannot explain why one person gets this disease and another does not. We do know that cancer is not contagious. You cannot "catch" cancer from another person.

People with certain risk factors are more likely to get cancer of the larynx. A risk factor is anything that increases your chance of developing this disease...

Symptoms of Laryngeal Cancer

The symptoms of cancer of the larynx depend mainly on the size of the tumor and where it is in the larynx

Symptoms may include the following : -

• Hoarseness or other voice changes
• A lump in the neck
• A sore throat or feeling that something is stuck in your throat
• A cough that does not go away
• Problems breathing
• Bad breath
• An earache
• Weight loss...

Diagnosis of Laryngeal Cancer

If you have symptoms of cancer of the larynx, the doctor may do some or all of the following exams : -

Physical exam : - The doctor will feel your neck and check your thyroid, larynx, and lymph nodes for abnormal lumps or swelling. To see your throat, the doctor may press down on your tongue...

Indirect laryngoscopy : - The doctor looks down your throat using a small, long-handled mirror to check for abnormal areas and to see if your vocal cords move as they should....

Direct laryngoscopy : - The doctor inserts a thin, lighted tube called a laryngoscope through your nose or mouth. As the tube goes down your throat, the doctor can look at areas that cannot be seen with a mirror...

CT scan : - An x-ray machine linked to a computer takes a series of detailed pictures of the neck area. You may receive an injection of a special dye so your larynx shows up clearly in the pictures. From the CT scan, the doctor may see tumors in your larynx or elsewhere in your neck...

Biopsy : - If an exam shows an abnormal area, the doctor may remove a small sample of tissue. Removing tissue to look for cancer cells is called a biopsy. For a biopsy, you receive local or general anesthesia, and the doctor removes tissue samples through a laryngoscope...

Treatment for larynx cancer

Staging

To plan the best treatment, your doctor needs to know the stage, or extent, of your disease. Staging is a careful attempt to learn whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to what parts of the body. The doctor may use x-rays, CT scans, or magnetic resonance imaging to find out whether the cancer has spread to lymph nodes, other areas in your neck, or distant sites...

Treatment

People with cancer of the larynx often want to take an active part in making decisions about their medical care. It is natural to want to learn all you can about your disease and treatment choices. However, shock and stress after a diagnosis of cancer can make it hard to remember what you want to ask the doctor..

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