Larynx Cancer
Cancer of the larynx (or voicebox) is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are
found in the tissues of the larynx. The larynx is a short passageway shaped like a
triangle that is just below the pharynx in the neck. The pharynx is a hollow tube about 5
inches long that starts behind the nose and goes down to the neck to become part of the
esophagus, the tube that goes to the stomach. Air passes through the pharynx and then the
larynx on the way to the windpipe (trachea) and into the lungs. Food passes through the
pharynx on the way to the esophagus. The larynx has a small piece of tissue over it,
called the epiglottis, to keep food from going into it or the air passages.
Symptoms of Larynx Cancer
- A sore throat that does not go away
- Pain when swallowing
- A change or hoarseness in the voice
- Pain in the ear
- A lump in the neck
Diagnosis of Larynx Cancer
If there are symptoms, a doctor will put a tube with a special light on the end of it
down the patient’s throat to look at the larynx. This is called laryngoscopy. If
tissue that is not normal is found, the doctor will need to cut out a small piece and look
at it under the microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This is called a biopsy.
The doctor will also feel the throat for lumps.
Treatment of Larynx Cancer
There are treatments for all patients with cancer of the larynx. Three kinds of
treatment are used:
- Radiation therapy (using high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer
cells)
- Surgery (taking out the cancer)
- Chemotherapy (using drugs to kill cancer cells)
Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy) or from
putting materials that produce radiation (radioisotopes) through thin plastic tubes in the
area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy). External radiation to
the thyroid or the pituitary gland may change the way the thyroid gland works. The doctor
may wish to test the thyroid gland before and after therapy to make sure it is working
properly. Giving drugs with the radiation therapy to make the cancer cells more sensitive
to radiation (radiosensitization) is being tested in clinical trials. Radiation given in
several small doses per day (hyperfractionated radiation therapy) is also being tested in
clinical trials. If smoking is stopped before radiation therapy is started, there is a
better chance of surviving longer.
Surgery is a common treatment of cancer of the larynx. A doctor may remove the cancer
and part of the larynx using one of the following operations:
- A cordectomy takes out only the vocal cord.
- A supraglottic laryngectomy takes out only the supraglottis.
- A partial or hemilaryngectomy removes only part of the larynx.
- A total laryngectomy removes the entire larynx. During this operation, a hole is made in
the front of the neck to allow the patient to breathe. This is called a tracheostomy. If
cancer has spread to lymph nodes, the lymph nodes will be removed (lymph node dissection).
- Laser surgery may be used for very early cancers of the larynx. During laser surgery, a
narrow, intense beam of light is used to cut out the cancer.
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it
may be put into the body by a needle in a vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a
systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and
can kill cancer cells throughout the body.
People with larynx cancer have a higher risk of getting other cancers in the head and
neck area. Clinical trials of chemoprevention therapy are testing whether certain drugs
can prevent second cancers from developing in the mouth, throat, windpipe, nose, or
esophagus (the tube that connects the throat to the stomach).
Because the larynx helps with breathing and talking, a patient may need special help
adjusting to the side effects of the cancer and its treatment. A patient may need to learn
a new way of talking, or may need a special device to help with talking. The
patient’s doctor will consult with several kinds of doctors who can help determine
the best treatment. Trained medical staff can also help the patient recover from treatment
and adjust to new ways of eating and talking. |