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Laryngeal cancer
Is a hoarse voice an indication of throat cancer?
Hoarseness does not necessarily indicate laryngeal cancer because there are many diseases that can cause hoarseness. Common ones include vocal cord nodules, vocal cord polyps, acute laryngitis, chronic laryngitis, vocal cord grooves, and laryngeal cancer. The primary approach should be to visit an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) department in a hospital, undergo an electronic fibrolaryngoscopy, and then determine the specific lesion based on the examination results. It is incorrect to diagnose laryngeal cancer based solely on hoarseness. For instance, some types of laryngeal cancer, such as supraglottic or subglottic, may cause hoarseness symptoms to appear late or even not at all. Therefore, while hoarseness does not necessarily mean laryngeal cancer, laryngeal cancer can potentially cause hoarseness. It is crucial to seek timely medical attention and undergo electronic fibrolaryngoscopy for a basic definitive diagnosis when hoarseness occurs. Apart from diseases of the throat, conditions affecting the thyroid, mediastinum, and esophagus can also cause hoarseness when they progress to a certain stage. Thus, hoarseness is a symptom that can be caused by many diseases, but it is not necessarily indicative of laryngeal cancer. Supraglottic laryngeal cancer, however, can manifest hoarseness as an early symptom. Therefore, it is critical to seek medical attention promptly once this symptom occurs.
What is throat cancer diagnosed through?
Laryngeal cancer is a relatively common disease in otolaryngology. It is divided into several types, such as glottic cancer, supraglottic cancer, subglottic cancer, and transglottic cancer. The clinical diagnosis of laryngeal cancer first requires a medical history, such as a long-term history of smoking and viral infections. Clinically, patients may present with chronic hoarseness and physical examinations can reveal tumorous tissue growth. Additional diagnostic tools include the use of a laryngoscope, as well as CT or MRI imaging studies. The most crucial standard for definitive diagnosis is the examination of pathological tissues, specifically biopsy. During the clinical diagnostic process, it is also necessary to differentiate between laryngeal cancer and conditions that may present similarly, such as laryngeal papillomatosis, to definitively diagnose laryngeal cancer. This outlines the clinical diagnostic procedure for laryngeal cancer.
How is laryngeal cancer diagnosed?
In clinical settings, the diagnosis of laryngeal cancer primarily relies on several aspects. Firstly, the patient's history, such as a family history of laryngeal cancer, and whether there is a long-term smoking history, for example, smoking two packs a day. Secondly, we need some clinical data, such as whether the patient exhibits symptoms like hoarseness. Then, during physical examination, we need to check for the presence of cancerous tissues in the hypopharynx, vocal cords, and the subglottic cavity, such as the presence of lumps, uneven surfaces, erosion, ulcers, etc. These are its symptoms and signs. Furthermore, we can utilize some auxiliary examinations, such as laryngoscopy, which allows direct observation of the tumor tissue. However, the definitive test involves taking a sample of the tumor tissue for a biopsy, identifying the presence of tumor cells, i.e., cancer cells. This result serves as the basis for confirming a diagnosis of laryngeal cancer. Of course, other auxiliary examinations like CT scans and MRI can also assist in diagnosing laryngeal cancer.
What are the symptoms of early-stage throat cancer?
The early symptoms of laryngeal cancer vary: some people exhibit typical symptoms while others show atypical symptoms or even no symptoms initially. For glottic laryngeal cancer, one of the earlier symptoms is hoarseness. This type of cancer occurs in the vocal cords area, which can affect closure of the vocal cords during speech, causing hoarseness. Some patients may also experience throat pain, abnormal bloody discharge from the throat, or have difficulties in breathing and swallowing, which could all be symptoms of laryngeal cancer. However, some patients may not show any symptoms in the early stages, especially those with supraglottic or subglottic laryngeal cancer, where early symptoms are not typical. Symptoms might only appear in the mid to late stages. Therefore, it is necessary to use a laryngoscope for examination and to perform a neck CT for a comprehensive evaluation.
Difference between the symptoms of laryngitis and throat cancer
There is a fundamental difference between laryngitis and laryngeal cancer. Laryngitis is an inflammatory infectious disease, mainly caused by bacterial infection or chronic inflammatory conditions, clinically characterized primarily by hoarseness. Treatment is mainly through medication, such as oral medications or nebulized inhalation therapy. Laryngeal cancer is a malignant tumorous disease, primarily squamous cell carcinoma. Clinically, in addition to hoarseness, we can also observe tumorous lumps and swelling of the cervical lymph nodes, which are manifestations of malignant tumors. The treatment of laryngeal cancer primarily involves comprehensive treatment led by surgery, including surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and some biological treatments, etc. Therefore, there is a fundamental difference between the two.
The difference between esophageal cancer and laryngeal cancer
Esophageal cancer and laryngeal cancer are both malignant tumors. Esophageal cancer refers to the malignant tumor occurring in the esophagus, while laryngeal cancer refers to the malignant tumor occurring in the larynx. Therefore, their tumor locations are different. The pathology of both is generally squamous cell carcinoma. The main symptom of esophageal cancer is obstructed eating; patients will feel difficulty swallowing, obstruction, and worsening of these symptoms as they eat. The primary symptom of laryngeal cancer is typically a hoarse voice, which distinguishes the symptoms of the two cancers.
What department should I go to for throat cancer?
Laryngeal cancer is a malignant tumor of the larynx. Therefore, initially, one should consult the otorhinolaryngology department. However, in some specialized hospitals, such as cancer hospitals, there might not be a specific otorhinolaryngology department, but there is a head and neck surgery department, so in that case, one should consult the head and neck surgery department. After surgery for laryngeal cancer, comprehensive treatment including chemotherapy and radiotherapy is required. Thus, post-surgery, if radiotherapy is needed, one should visit the radiotherapy department, and if chemotherapy is needed, one should visit the oncology department. Generally, the decision for surgical, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy treatments is based on the condition of the disease.
The difference between vocal cord polyps and laryngeal cancer
The difference between vocal cord polyps and laryngeal cancer is firstly notable in their nature. Vocal cord polyps are benign lesions, and their removal generally does not significantly affect the patient's quality of life or lifespan. Laryngeal cancer, as the name implies, is a malignant lesion that greatly affects both the patient's quality of life and lifespan. Location-wise, vocal cord polyps are found on the vocal cords, while laryngeal cancer can be located in one of three areas: on the vocal cords, known as glottic laryngeal cancer; below the vocal cords, known as subglottic laryngeal cancer; and above the vocal cords, known as supraglottic laryngeal cancer. The prognosis for vocal cord polyps is very good; after surgery, if the patient rests well, their future quality of life is generally unaffected. Laryngeal cancer is divided into three types: glottic, supraglottic, and subglottic, with glottic being the most common, accounting for about 80%. This type of laryngeal cancer usually presents early symptoms such as hoarseness, similar to vocal cord polyps. Therefore, glottic laryngeal cancer can often be detected early. With prompt and correct treatment, the postoperative results can be good. As it typically involves highly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, if it is completely excised surgically and regularly reviewed postoperatively, it doesn't greatly impact lifespan or quality of life. In contrast, subglottic and supraglottic laryngeal cancers often show symptoms later, which means they tend to be diagnosed at a later stage, usually at a mid to advanced stage. Supraglottic laryngeal cancer, in particular, is prone to cervical lymph node metastasis, thus usually having a poorer prognosis compared to glottic laryngeal cancer. There's also a higher likelihood of recurrence and metastasis, and the surgery may involve greater trauma. These are the main differences.
The most common type of laryngeal cancer
At present, laryngeal cancer is classified based on anatomical location into three main types, with glottic cancer being the most common. Supraglottic and subglottic cancers are relatively less common. The primary symptom of glottic cancer is hoarseness, which can be noticeable in the early stages. Therefore, generally, the earlier the disease is diagnosed, the better the treatment outcome may be. Additionally, laryngeal cancer is also classified by pathological types. The main pathological type is squamous cell carcinoma. Overall, surgical treatment is the most important, but depending on the patient's stage and type of cancer, a combination of radiation and chemotherapy might be necessary.
The Difference Between Throat Cancer and Esophageal Cancer
Throat cancer and esophageal cancer have essential differences, starting with the specific location of the disease. Throat cancer primarily occurs in the glottis and the supraglottic area, while esophageal cancer mainly occurs in the esophagus. Typically, the symptoms of throat cancer may be more characteristic, the most common being a foreign body sensation in the throat, throat pain, and hoarseness. Particularly, glottic throat cancer symptoms are more pronounced, which might include persistent and noticeable hoarseness. The primary symptoms of esophageal cancer are pain below the neck, which may be accompanied by difficulty swallowing or swallowing obstruction. For diagnosis, throat cancer is primarily assessed via laryngoscopy, while esophageal cancer is typically evaluated through gastroscopy. In terms of treatment, the approach generally focuses on surgery, potentially supplemented by radiotherapy and chemotherapy.