Laryngeal cancer


Can throat cancer be cured?
Throat cancer is a relatively common malignant tumor in the head and neck area. Some patients can achieve clinical cure, which generally means no local recurrence or distant metastasis for 5 years after the end of treatment. However, the specific treatment outcomes can vary significantly among individuals. Generally, early-stage throat cancer has better treatment outcomes and a higher 5-year survival rate. If it's in the middle to late stages, throat cancer tends to be more difficult to treat and the outcomes are poorer. Therefore, it's important to seek prompt treatment from an otolaryngologist after the onset of the disease, receive targeted treatment, and undergo regular follow-ups to monitor the efficacy of the treatment.


Do the early symptoms of laryngeal cancer include coughing?
Throat cancer refers to malignant tumors that occur in the pharyngeal region. Clinically, it commonly manifests as vocal cord cancer, pyriform sinus cancer, and hypopharyngeal cancer. The causes are linked to long-term smoking, alcohol consumption, gastrointestinal dysfunction, acid reflux, irritations, and improper or excessive use of the voice leading to cellular mutations. In its early stages, patients generally experience persistent worsening hoarseness. Sometimes, patients may also suffer from irritative coughing, a foreign body sensation in the throat, obstruction feeling, and breathing difficulties. Patients need to undergo a detailed examination with an electronic laryngoscope at a hospital, which can reveal cauliflower-like neoplasms in any part of the pharynx. At this point, a local biopsy is necessary. If the biopsy confirms a malignant tumor in the pharyngeal region, local surgical removal is required, followed by relevant radiotherapy or chemotherapy.


Which area is the most common site for laryngeal cancer?
Laryngeal cancer is a malignant tumor in the larynx, and clinically, it is primarily squamous cell carcinoma. The causes of laryngeal cancer are diverse, with major triggers being the irritation from smoking and alcohol, as well as viral infections. Clinically, laryngeal cancer is categorized into glottic cancer, supraglottic cancer, and subglottic cancer. The most common type is glottic cancer, which occurs on the vocal cords, typically affecting one vocal cord; bilateral occurrence is extremely rare. Glottic cancer, or cancer of the vocal cord area, is often detected early because hoarseness appears as soon as the lesion develops, prompting patients to seek early medical attention. Therefore, when detected early, the treatment outcomes are generally better.


What is good for patients with throat cancer to eat?
Laryngeal cancer is a common disease in otolaryngology and is also a type of malignant tumor with a high degree of malignancy. Before surgery, it is generally recommended that patients with laryngeal cancer primarily consume a warm, semi-liquid diet, and avoid spicy and overly greasy food. It is important to control the patient's blood pressure and blood sugar. Additionally, once a tumor diagnosis is confirmed, timely surgical treatment should be carried out to remove the tumor. After surgery, patients typically need to fast from water for about 2-3 weeks and are fed through a gastric tube. During this time, a liquid diet should predominate and can be supplemented with eggs and minced meat to enhance protein intake and resistance, thereby improving immunity.


Can acute pharyngitis easily turn into laryngeal cancer?
Acute pharyngitis is unlikely to transform into laryngeal cancer, as it is primarily caused by bacterial or viral infection, with bacterial infections being more common in clinical settings. The main symptoms include sudden throat pain, and some people may also experience a foreign body sensation in the throat or fever. Overall, this disease is characterized as an inflammatory response, and the typical treatment duration is about a week, with recovery generally being rapid, focusing primarily on anti-infection treatment. In terms of inflammation, there is no direct link to laryngeal cancer, so it is not likely to evolve into laryngeal cancer. Moreover, the causes of laryngeal cancer are not yet very clear.


Can throat cancer be cured?
Laryngeal cancer is a type of malignant tumor in otolaryngology, divided into primary and secondary types. Secondary tumors refer to malignant tumors that have metastasized from other parts of the body, which are relatively rare; while primary tumors originate in the laryngeal area, with squamous cell carcinoma being the most common. For early-stage laryngeal cancer patients, it is generally necessary to detect and treat the disease early. Minimally invasive surgery using methods such as carbon dioxide laser can be used to remove the tumor, and patients can be cured. However, for hypopharyngeal cancer and late-stage tumors, due to the biological characteristics of the patients, early metastasis is common, making complete recovery difficult. Recurrence is also possible. Therefore, timely treatment is necessary, and postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy are needed to further augment treatment, aiming to extend the patient's survival period as much as possible.


recurrence rate of throat cancer after surgery
Throat cancer is a common malignant tumor in the head and neck diagnosed by otolaryngologists. Its occurrence is often related to prolonged smoking, drinking, air pollution, and other adverse environmental factors. Currently, the primary treatment for throat cancer is surgical intervention. The likelihood of recurrence after surgery varies from person to person. For early-stage throat cancer patients, the chance of recurrence is relatively low if a thorough excision is performed. Complete recovery rates are usually above 70%-80%. However, for patients with lymph node metastasis in the middle to late stages, recurrence rates are typically above 50%-60%.


Can throat cancer patients eat sea cucumber?
Patients with throat cancer can eat sea cucumbers, which contain rich proteins, trace elements, amino acids, and other components that are very beneficial to health. These can help improve the patient's immune function and resist the occurrence of tumors. Additionally, patients should eat more vegetables and fruits containing vitamins to help enhance their immune function. For diagnosing throat cancer, we mainly use electronic nasopharyngoscopy and CT scans of the throat area to make a clear diagnosis. After throat cancer occurs, we usually perform surgery as soon as possible to remove the tumor while trying to preserve as much of the patient's laryngeal function as possible, in order to improve the patient's quality of life.


How is advanced malignant throat cancer treated?
Laryngeal cancer is a malignant tumor in the larynx, mainly squamous cell carcinoma. In advanced stages of laryngeal cancer, the main issues are malignant ulcers in the laryngeal area, followed by tumor proliferation, bleeding, and then blockage of the airway by the tumor mass, leading to respiratory difficulties and cachexia throughout the body. Therefore, the primary treatment for advanced malignant tumors is to maintain airway patency, mainly through tracheotomy; secondly, pain management and analgesic treatment are provided to improve the patient’s quality of life; thirdly, nutritional support is provided to the patient, including the insertion of a gastric tube or even parenteral nutrition via intravenous feeding. Overall, the treatment of advanced malignant tumors primarily focuses on improving quality of life and alleviating patient suffering.


What should I do if I have a cough from throat cancer?
Laryngeal cancer is a common malignant tumor in otolaryngology. Patients with laryngeal cancer often experience coughs primarily because of the presence of tumors at the glottis, which then cause irritative coughs. For patients with the aforementioned symptoms, we should first diagnose the disease using a laryngoscope and CT scans of the throat area. Subsequently, it is crucial to remove the tumor through surgery as early as possible to achieve a complete cure. Post-surgery, patients usually undergo radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In the early stages before surgery, when the patient suffers from severe coughing, medications that clear the throat and benefit the voice can be used to alleviate the symptoms and reduce the patient's suffering. (Medication should be administered under the guidance of a doctor.)