What are the symptoms of early-stage throat cancer?

Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
Updated on September 17, 2024
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The early symptoms of laryngeal cancer vary: some people exhibit typical symptoms while others show atypical symptoms or even no symptoms initially. For glottic laryngeal cancer, one of the earlier symptoms is hoarseness. This type of cancer occurs in the vocal cords area, which can affect closure of the vocal cords during speech, causing hoarseness. Some patients may also experience throat pain, abnormal bloody discharge from the throat, or have difficulties in breathing and swallowing, which could all be symptoms of laryngeal cancer. However, some patients may not show any symptoms in the early stages, especially those with supraglottic or subglottic laryngeal cancer, where early symptoms are not typical. Symptoms might only appear in the mid to late stages. Therefore, it is necessary to use a laryngoscope for examination and to perform a neck CT for a comprehensive evaluation.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
1min 2sec home-news-image

How to distinguish between throat cancer and pharyngitis.

Laryngeal cancer and pharyngitis are fundamentally different. First, there is the specific nature of the lesions: laryngeal cancer is a type of malignant tumor in the pharyngeal and laryngeal areas, posing significant health risks; whereas pharyngitis is a common clinical symptom in the pharyngeal and laryngeal areas, mainly caused by inflammatory reactions, and may involve sensations of a foreign body in the throat, pain, and burning, but overall, it poses less risk to health. Additionally, the specific sites of disease onset differ. The lesions in laryngeal cancer primarily occur in the vocal cord area, with some in the supraglottic or subglottic areas, where new growths might be found, which can be identified through pathological biopsy. In contrast, pharyngitis primarily involves chronic congestion and inflammatory reactions of the mucous membranes in the pharyngeal area, with no direct new growth, which can be directly diagnosed and differentiated through pathological biopsy.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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Common sites of laryngeal cancer

Laryngeal cancer is a malignant tumor in the larynx, and clinically, it is primarily squamous cell carcinoma. There are several types of laryngeal cancer: firstly, glottic cancer; secondly, supraglottic cancer; there is also subglottic cancer, and transglottic cancer that spans two regions. Among these types, glottic cancer is the most common. Early-stage glottic cancer is generally detected earlier due to hoarseness, and the outcomes after surgery are relatively better. Consequently, the most frequently diagnosed site of this disease is the vocal cords. After surgery, regular follow-up appointments are necessary to monitor and observe the healing process post-operation.

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Written by Li Mao Cai
Otolaryngology
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Is a hoarse voice an indication of throat cancer?

Hoarseness does not necessarily indicate laryngeal cancer because there are many diseases that can cause hoarseness. Common ones include vocal cord nodules, vocal cord polyps, acute laryngitis, chronic laryngitis, vocal cord grooves, and laryngeal cancer. The primary approach should be to visit an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) department in a hospital, undergo an electronic fibrolaryngoscopy, and then determine the specific lesion based on the examination results. It is incorrect to diagnose laryngeal cancer based solely on hoarseness. For instance, some types of laryngeal cancer, such as supraglottic or subglottic, may cause hoarseness symptoms to appear late or even not at all. Therefore, while hoarseness does not necessarily mean laryngeal cancer, laryngeal cancer can potentially cause hoarseness. It is crucial to seek timely medical attention and undergo electronic fibrolaryngoscopy for a basic definitive diagnosis when hoarseness occurs. Apart from diseases of the throat, conditions affecting the thyroid, mediastinum, and esophagus can also cause hoarseness when they progress to a certain stage. Thus, hoarseness is a symptom that can be caused by many diseases, but it is not necessarily indicative of laryngeal cancer. Supraglottic laryngeal cancer, however, can manifest hoarseness as an early symptom. Therefore, it is critical to seek medical attention promptly once this symptom occurs.

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Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
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Stage II throat cancer is the situation.

The so-called Stage II laryngeal cancer refers to the degree of differentiation of cancer cells, classified as moderately malignant. This type of differentiated cancer cells has a tumor growth rate that is between Stage I and Stage III, and shows certain characteristics of invasion and metastasis. Stage II laryngeal cancer generally tends to metastasize via the lymphatic pathways, and some patients may also experience hematogenous pathway metastasis. Clinically, patients with Stage II laryngeal cancer may present with symptoms localized to the larynx as well as symptoms of metastatic sites. Patients may experience symptoms such as hoarseness, cough, expectoration, and a foreign body sensation in the throat. When metastasis occurs, respiratory symptoms like coughing and coughing up blood can appear.

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Written by Xu Qing Tian
Otolaryngology
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The difference between throat cancer and pharyngitis.

Throat cancer and pharyngitis are two completely different diseases. Throat cancer is a common malignancy in the field of otolaryngology, whereas pharyngitis is caused by long-term chronic inflammation irritating the mucous membrane in the throat area, leading to symptoms such as the sensation of a foreign body in the throat, as well as dryness, itchiness, and pain in the throat. For patients with throat cancer and pharyngitis, diagnosis can be confirmed through the use of a laryngoscope, a nasopharyngoscope, and a CT scan of the neck with contrast enhancement. For patients with throat cancer, the primary treatment method is surgical removal of the tumor tissue. For patients with pharyngitis, the focus is on care. In daily life, it is advisable to avoid consuming spicy, irritating foods and cold drinks, while it is also important to eat more vegetables and fruits to protect the mucous membrane of the throat and to conserve the voice.