Glottic Laryngeal Cancer
Symptoms of vocal cord cancers
The following symptoms can be seen in vocal cord cancer:
- Voice anxiety or other voice changes (consult a ENT specialist if voice impairment lasts for 2-3 weeks)
- painful swelling of the neck with increasing size (rare)
- feeling sore throat or throat sticking
- permanent cough
- Shortness of breath
- Bad breath smell
- Ear pain (rare)
- painful swelling of the neck with increasing size (rare)
- feeling sore throat or throat sticking
- permanent cough
- Shortness of breath
- Bad breath smell
- Ear pain (rare)
Vocal cord cancer risk factors
Smoking and chronic alcohol consumption are the most common known risk factors!
There is also a low socioeconomic status, infection with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection, genetic factors, chronic psoriatic infections, asbestos, environmental pollution and tree dust exposure, radiation, reflux, the presence of diseases suppressing the immune system, risk factors.
Diagnosis of vocal cord cancers
In addition to larygeal endoscopic examination, neck examination, MRI and tomography imaging examination, histopathological evaluation with biopsy can be used in the diagnosis and staging of the disease.
Treatment of vocal cord cancer
In early stage tumors, surgery (such as laser excision or simple cordectomy) and radiotherapy can be used for treatment. In advanced cancers, chemoradiotherapy may be required in conjunction with larger surgical procedures (such as neck dissection and laryngectomy).
If You Have Hoarseness For More Than Two Weeks, Please Consult a Doctor!
Hoarseness is usually the first symptom in vocal cord lesions (infection, nodule, polyp, tumoral masses). If hoarseness is present for more than two weeks, it is appropriate to consult an otolaryngologist, without accepting this as normal.
Symptoms can be considered in the differential diagnosis of hoarseness
In viral infections involving the vocal cord, such as laryngitis, there are symptoms such as cough and body malaise, in addition to the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection that usually starts before hoarseness. Generally, hoarseness caused by viral infections decreases and disappears within a few days with appropriate supportive treatment. Like laryngopharyngeal reflux, as a result of small and long-term reflux of stomach acid into the larynx, edema usually occurs in the back of the vocal cords, a feeling of stuck in the throat when swallowing, coughing that increases at night and in the horizontal position may occur. Reduction in hoarseness and cough may occur with diet for reflux, stress control. Generally, the first and only symptom in vocal cord cancers is hoarseness at the beginning; In advanced stage patients, symptoms such as pain in the ear and swelling in the neck may also be added. Information about long-term smoking and alcohol use can also be found in the stories of the patients. Vocal cord paralysis after thyroid surgery (iatrogenic vocal cord paralysis) typically presents with hoarseness immediately after the operation and sometimes additional shortness of breath.
HPV Virus Is One Of The Causes Of Vocal Cord Cancer With Increasing Frequency!
In recent years, sexually transmitted Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infections, the frequency of which is increasing, are increasingly detected in the etiology of head and neck cancers. In this virus group, there are carcinogens, especially sub-strains, which carry high, medium and low risk. Besides the non-carcinogenic sub-strains that cause warts; There are also high-risk strains that can cause cancer. Vaccination schedule, safe sex practices, monogamy, and regular follow-up can reduce the frequency of this virus infection. Treatment response is better in head and neck cancers where this virus is positively detected (source >> Human papillomavirus as a driver of head and neck cancers).
Due to hoarseness, vocal cord cancers can be detected at an early stage and treatment success can be high!
Even at the initial stage, the onset of hoarseness allows vocal cord cancers to be detected at an early stage. Since the lymphatic drainage of the vocal cords is not good, the success of surgical treatment and radiotherapy with resection of tumors limited only to the vocal cord may be very high. In patients whose hoarseness does not improve and who apply to the physician, the chance of surgical success increases with the detection of the tumor at an early stage.
Laser, microlarryngeal surgery, classical resection or radiotherapy can be used in treatment!
In early stage vocal cord cancers, vocal cord resections such as laser vaporization or resection, vocal cord tumor excision under microscope or classical cordectomy can be used for treatment. Radiotherapy can offer a chance for treatment without serious reduction in voice quality. However, when there is cartilage invasion, spread to surrounding tissues, lymphatic spread, spread to other regions in the larynx (in this case, severe limitation of vocal cord movement may occur, neck dissection and further surgical procedures (partial laryngectomy, total laryngectomy), chemoradiotherapy may be required.
Patients with precancerous leukoplakia lesion in vocal cord cancer should pay attention
In cases such as leukoplakia, reinke's edema, which have a risk of cancer on the vocal cord, treatment can be planned by offering various techniques including biopsy and peeling of the vocal cord mucosa. However, these patients should eliminate or reduce as much as possible the risk factors that can cause chronic mucosal irritation and damage, such as smoking, alcohol use, reflux, and contact with heavy metals. There are cumulative effects of smoking and the number of years smoked and the number of packs smoked per day multiplied (packs/year) are recorded in the patient's record. In other words, quitting smoking does not eliminate the risks associated with smoking in the past, but; may prevent an increased risk of carcinogens. Patients' avoidance of alcohol and cigarette smoke, compliance with dietary and lifestyle change recommendations for reflux, and a Mediterranean diet can stop or reduce the carcinogenic transformation of the disease.
Link group where you can find detailed information about cancer on this website >> https://www.ent-istanbul.com/search?q=cancer
Murat Enoz, MD, Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgeon - ENT Doctor in Istanbul
Private Office:
Address: İncirli Cad. No:41, Kat:4 (Dilek Patisserie Building), Postal code: 34147, Bakırköy - İstanbul
Appointment Phone: +90 212 561 00 52
Appointment Phone: +90 212 561 00 52
Fax: +90 212 542 74 47
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