How to distinguish the stages of throat cancer?

Written by Xu Qing Tian
Otolaryngology
Updated on March 23, 2025
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Laryngeal cancer is a common malignant tumor in otolaryngology. The staging of laryngeal cancer mainly depends on the location of onset and whether there is lymph node metastasis. Symptoms of laryngeal cancer primarily include hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, and coughing up blood. Diagnosis can be definitively made through a laryngoscope, laryngeal CT, and pathological biopsy. If detected in the early to middle stages, patients should undergo timely surgical treatment. In the late stage, treatment can include radiotherapy and chemotherapy to extend the patient's lifespan.

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Written by Xu Qing Tian
Otolaryngology
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Pre-cancerous symptoms of throat cancer

Laryngeal cancer is a common disease in otolaryngology and a type of malignant tumor, which is divided into primary laryngeal cancer and secondary laryngeal cancer. The main clinical symptoms of laryngeal cancer in its early stages often include hoarseness, cough, and lymph node enlargement, among others. Patients can use indirect laryngoscopy or electronic nasopharyngoscopy to detect tumors located in the pharyngeal area, and a local pathological biopsy can be performed for diagnosis. When the tumor is identified as malignant, it is essential to initiate prompt and active treatment. The common method is to surgically remove the detected tumor to achieve clinical cure.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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What are the symptoms of early-stage throat cancer?

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
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What does throat cancer feel like?

Throat cancer is a relatively common otolaryngological disease and a common type of malignant tumor in the head and neck area. It has numerous clinical symptoms, the most common being a sensation of a foreign body in the throat and pain. It may also cause hoarseness. Some patients might experience swallowing obstruction and breathing difficulties, and it can also lead to weight loss. The specific symptoms can vary significantly from person to person. After the onset of the disease, it is urgent to visit an otolaryngology department, where a laryngoscopy and a CT scan of the larynx can be performed. These are helpful for clinical and pathological staging and typing. In terms of treatment, surgery is currently the main approach, though a comprehensive treatment plan including radiotherapy and chemotherapy may also be considered for some patients.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Postoperative Care for Laryngeal Cancer

Postoperative care for throat cancer is crucial and mainly includes the following aspects: First, it is vital to maintain a clear airway. After throat cancer surgery, most patients will require a tracheotomy, which means regular suctioning is necessary to ensure the airway remains clear. Special attention should be paid to prevent obstruction of the tracheal cannula, as blockage could lead to breathing difficulties and even suffocation in severe cases. Secondly, regarding diet, most patients need a liquid diet administered through a gastric tube immediately following throat cancer surgery, as they are temporarily unable to eat through the mouth or throat. This usually lasts about two weeks. Thirdly, in terms of routine postoperative care, patients should not stay in bed for an extended period. Prolonged bed rest can increase the risk of developing bedsores or vascular thrombosis.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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What is throat cancer diagnosed through?

Laryngeal cancer is a relatively common disease in otolaryngology. It is divided into several types, such as glottic cancer, supraglottic cancer, subglottic cancer, and transglottic cancer. The clinical diagnosis of laryngeal cancer first requires a medical history, such as a long-term history of smoking and viral infections. Clinically, patients may present with chronic hoarseness and physical examinations can reveal tumorous tissue growth. Additional diagnostic tools include the use of a laryngoscope, as well as CT or MRI imaging studies. The most crucial standard for definitive diagnosis is the examination of pathological tissues, specifically biopsy. During the clinical diagnostic process, it is also necessary to differentiate between laryngeal cancer and conditions that may present similarly, such as laryngeal papillomatosis, to definitively diagnose laryngeal cancer. This outlines the clinical diagnostic procedure for laryngeal cancer.