Laryngeal Cancer

• What is laryngeal cancer?
• What are some signs or symptoms of laryngeal cancer?
• How is laryngeal cancer diagnosed?
• What treatments are available for individuals with laryngeal cancer?
• What is a laryngectomy?
• What other organizations have information on laryngeal cancer?

What is laryngeal cancer?

Laryngeal cancer is cancer of the larynx or voice box, and occurs when cancerous (malignant) cells form around the tissues in those areas. The vocal folds are located in the larynx. Sound is made when air is directed against them and they vibrate. An individual’s voice is audible when the sound echoes through the throat, mouth, and nose.

What are some signs or symptoms of laryngeal cancer?

A person with laryngeal cancer may notice:

• hoarseness or change in their voice
• difficulty swallowing
• a lump in the throat
• bad cough or chest infection
• shortness of breath
• bad breath (halitosis)
• weight loss
• prolonged earache

How is laryngeal cancer diagnosed?

If any of the above symptoms are noticed, a doctor can diagnose by feeling the throat for lumps. The doctor can also perform a larynoscopy, which is the use of an endoscope (a tube with a special light) to look down into the throat and see the larynx. If there is tissue on the larynx that looks absnormal, the doctor may need to cut out a small piece of the tissue and perform a biopsy. In a biopsy, the doctor views the tissue under a microscope to determine whether it contains cancer cells. A biopsy is the only way to diagnose cancer.

What treatments are available for individuals with laryngeal cancer?

One or more of the following approaches may be used depending on the size, location, and time of cancer detection:

• radiation therapy
• chemotherapy
• partial removal of the larynx (laryngectomy)
• total laryngectomy

In the above cases the changes to laryngeal tissue or the removal of parts of the larynx may cause the patient’s voice to change, however they may still be able to produce sound with their voice.

In extreme cases, the only life-saving solution may be a total laryngectomy, with or without radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

Patients who have undergone radiation treatment may have:

• dry and/or red skin at the site of the treatment
• sore throat
• dry mouth (xerostomia)
• sensitive mouth
• mouth sores
• difficulty swallowing
• decreased taste
• fatigue
• breathing difficulties from swelling

Patients who have received chemotherapy, often for the treatment of metastasized cancer (i.e., cancer that has spread), may have:

• nausea or vomiting
• increased chance of infection
• bleeding or bruising
• fatigue
• shortness of breath

These side effects often stop after the chemotherapy is discontinued.

What is a laryngectomy?

A laryngectomy is an operation through which the voice box (larynx) is removed and a new breathing route is surgically constructed. Rather than using the mouth and nose, the patient can breathe through a hole (stoma) made in the neck at the end of the windpipe (trachea).

The stoma may require routine removal due to the absence of the warming and moisturizing structures in the nose and the mouth, and a thick mucus may build in the breathing tubes and crust on the stoma. The patient may want to use humidifiers and a cover to protect the stoma.

What other organizations have information on laryngeal cancer?

Please be aware that the following list is not comprehensive, and does not necessarily imply endorsement from Premier Therapy Associates as to its content.

• American Cancer Society
• National Cancer Institute
• International Association of Laryngectomees

See Also:

• Laryngeal Cancer: Causes and Number
• Laryngeal Cancer: Benefits of Speech-Language Pathology Services