Laryngeal cancer is a type of tumor that affects the throat region, with hoarseness and difficulty in speaking as initial symptoms. This type of cancer has great chances of cure, when its treatment is started quickly, with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, if this treatment is not enough or if the cancer is very aggressive, surgery seems to be the most effective solution.
Symptoms of laryngeal cancer
Common symptoms of laryngeal cancer can be:
- Hoarseness;
- Difficulty speaking;
- Difficulty breathing;
- Pain and / or difficulty swallowing.
Anyone with hoarseness for four weeks should be evaluated by an otorhinolaryngologist to make sure whether or not it is cancer of the larynx.
In order to diagnose laryngeal cancer, the patient's assessment must include visual analysis of the skin on the face, scalp, ears, nose, mouth and neck, as well as palpation of the neck.
The confirmation of the diagnosis of laryngeal cancer is done with a biopsy of the tumor observed, so that the most appropriate treatment can be decided.
Can laryngeal cancer be cured?
Laryngeal cancer is curable about 90% of the time, when it is diagnosed at an early stage, but when this type of cancer is only diagnosed at a late stage, the tumor may be very large or have already spread through the body, reducing its chances of cure.
Most patients are diagnosed with laryngeal cancer at an intermediate stage, when the chances of cure are around 60%. But according to the scientists, if the proposed treatment is assertive and the tumor is located in a single region, the cure can come in a few months.
Treatment for laryngeal cancer
The treatment for laryngeal cancer is done with radiotherapy and / or chemotherapy. If these are not successful, surgery may be used, although this is more radical, as it may be necessary to remove part of the larynx, preventing speech and breathing normally, and it is necessary to use a tracheostomy.
The worst consequences of treatment for laryngeal cancer may be the loss of voice or the loss of the ability to swallow through the mouth, which requires an adapted diet. However, the type of treatment and the severity of the consequences of the treatment chosen by doctors will depend on the size, extent and location of the tumor.
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