The larynx is the name of an organ in our neck called the pharynx. It is commonly referred to as the pharynx. As the larynx is followed by the trachea and lungs, it forms a long and important part of respiration. The larynx also includes the vocal cords. Cancer in our larynx is usually formed as a result of the formation of cells in our larynx in a way that is controlled by the formation of tumors as a result of the formation of cells here.
Causes of laryngeal cancer
Laryngeal cancer usually occurs in people who smoke too much. And these people are 20 times more at risk of laryngeal cancer than others. Another important cause of laryngeal cancer is excessive alcohol consumption, and a poor and irregular diet causes laryngeal cancer. This type of cancer is also more common in people working in areas such as petroleum products and the paint industry. At the same time, HPV is always among the causes of laryngeal cancer.
Symptoms of laryngeal cancer
There are many symptoms of laryngeal cancer. The first of these symptoms is hoarseness and poor voice quality. However, in order to detect laryngeal cancer from this symptom, the cancer cell must be on the vocal cords. Although it is not on the vocal cords, it is more likely to occur in an area that will put pressure on the vocal cords. Therefore, in hoarseness that lasts for weeks, it is absolutely necessary to get help from a specialist doctor and make a full diagnosis.
However, other symptoms of laryngeal cancer include a feeling of blockage from the mouth to the throat at regular intervals and a pain extending from the throat to the ears. However, difficulty in swallowing and shortness of breath are also symptoms of laryngeal cancer, as are symptoms such as pain when swallowing and bloody sputum.
Diagnostic Methods For Laryngeal Cancer
People who show symptoms of laryngeal cancer should definitely consult an ear, nose and throat doctor. Only in this way can a diagnosis be made. After the doctor’s examination, if your doctor asks for some threats from you, your doctor makes a diagnosis by examining your larynx with the help of a rod with a hard hose at the end, called laryngoscopy.
When laryngeal cancer is suspected, a definitive diagnosis is made by taking a piece from the place where laryngeal cancer is suspected under local or general anesthesia outside of normal events.
Treatment Methods For Laryngeal Cancer
The size of the tumor in laryngeal cancer and where it is located in the larynx are very important for the treatment method. And there are usually 4 main treatment modalities for laryngeal cancer. The first treatment method is surgical treatment. According to this method, a certain part of the cancerous tissue of the larynx is removed at an early stage of the disease. If the disease is advanced, surgical treatment includes removal of the entire larynx. Here, after the larynx is removed, people are allowed to breathe through a hole in the trachea. In patients who have half of the larynx removed, the hole is closed in a short time through the trachea opened in the temporary period.
Another treatment method is radiation therapy. Depending on the type of treatment, it is aimed to destroy or shrink cancer cells to a great extent with high energy rays. This treatment is applied to the patient’s neck with an external device. In this method, certain doses of high-energy radiation are usually given to the sick person every day. Another treatment method is chemotherapy. This method is generally used in people who have advanced disease or who are ill as a result of recurrence of the disease as a result of treatments with surgical methods. In people who cannot undergo surgery and in some special cases, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are used together to prevent damage to other organs.
Which Doctor Should I See For Laryngeal Cancer?
For laryngeal cancer, especially an ear, nose and throat doctor should be preferred. Because the larynx is an organ that plays an important role in the upper respiratory tract of humans. Therefore, people who have some of the symptoms of laryngeal cancer should definitely see an ear, nose and throat doctor. Thus, the doctor will make the definitive diagnosis whether these symptoms are laryngeal cancer or not.
Types Of Laryngeal Cancer
There are different types of laryngeal cancer depending on the cell that causes it. The first of these is squamous cell type laryngeal cancer. This type of laryngeal cancer is usually seen in 95% of people with laryngeal cancer. At the same time, this type of laryngeal cancer usually starts from the vocal cords and progresses towards the mouth and throat. Another type of laryngeal cancer is adenocarcinoma laryngeal cancer. People with this type of laryngeal cancer have also become more common in recent years. It is a type of cancer that usually occurs in areas such as small salivary glands.
Degrees Of Laryngeal Cancer
The grades of laryngeal cancers are also directly proportional to the appearance of the cells in which the cancer is formed. Low-grade laryngeal cancer is usually caused by cancer cells that have a similar appearance to the cells that caused it. Low-grade cancer of the larynx usually progresses very slowly and is slow to spread throughout the body. In high-grade laryngeal cancer, the differentiation of cancer cells is very high. In this high-grade laryngeal cancer, the rate of cancer spreading throughout the body is very high. The size of the cancer cells is also quite large.
Organs To Which Laryngeal Cancer Spreads
Cancerous cells usually spread from where they are located to other organs. In the early stages of laryngeal cancer, it usually spreads to nearby organs, but in later stages it spreads to distant organs. It also spreads to all 40 and soft tissues in the neck. It also spreads to the thyroid glands and vocal cords. Laryngeal cancer spreads especially to the trachea and esophagus in the later stages. At the same time, in the later stages of the disease, laryngeal cancer is more likely to spread to distant organs, with lung and liver organs being the most affected.
What Should Be The Diet After Treatment Of Laryngeal Cancer?
In the treatment of laryngeal cancer, radiotherapy and surgery usually cause extreme pain and difficulty in swallowing. Therefore, excessive weight loss is observed. Especially after surgeries, the patient’s nutrition is done with the help of opening holes in the nose through the throat, since solid food cannot be switched to immediately. During periods of remission, normal nutrition is switched to. During this period, especially acid and extremely spicy and bitter foods should be avoided. Loss of taste occurs in some patients after surgeries. In order for these people to regain their taste power, supplements such as sauces and lemon juice should be made to stimulate the sense of taste.
In order for the patient to be fed more comfortably, foods that will not cause pain to the patient while both chewing and swallowing should generally be preferred. If there is excessive weight loss, the doctor should be consulted again and additional foods should be taken. Especially hot drinks should be avoided for a certain period of time after the surgery. In order to prevent a relapse, it is also important not to return to the harmful habits that caused laryngeal cancer. Soups and other additional foods, especially those that soothe the throat, should also be used immediately after treatment. When these points are taken into consideration, the patient has a high chance of regaining his/her former health after treatment. Otherwise, it is possible that the disease may reappear again.
