The mucous membrane of the throat often becomes a target for malignant neoplasms. According to statistics, tumors in the throat occur in men more often than in women, the average age of patients is 40-50 years. An experienced doctor can identify neoplasms at an early stage during examination, however, many patients seek the help of oncologists already at stages III-IV, when an overgrown tumor covers the throat, practically depriving a person of the opportunity to eat, breathe, and speak normally. First of all, because precancerous conditions are asymptomatic, they do not cause complaints of discomfort in the throat. Despite this, highly qualified specialists of the EMC Institute of Oncology can choose effective treatment today.
Causes of throat cancer
Like all oncological pathologies, laryngeal cancer occurs for a variety of reasons. The risk group includes employees of chemical enterprises and residents of cities with developed industries. Smokers are most at risk, and both active and passive smoking are dangerous. The human papillomavirus, its oncogenic types: 6, 11, 16, 18, also leads to the development of throat cancer. Frequent ligament strain also predisposes to this type of cancer.
Symptoms of throat cancer
Only an experienced doctor can suspect cancer in the early stages, since the first symptoms are very similar to the manifestations of a cold, allergy, or the consequences of a voice breakdown: sore throat, cough, foreign body sensation.
The patient should be alerted and forced to undergo a more detailed examination.:
-
constant sharp pain in grief
-
cough discharge
-
neck swelling
-
elevated temperature
-
voice changes
-
in some cases, bad breath
-
changing taste sensations
-
weight loss.
Patients who have been diagnosed with chronic hypertrophic laryngitis, leukoplakia, or laryngeal papillomatosis should be especially monitored for their health. These precancerous conditions are almost 100% likely to develop into a malignant tumor. In children, experts recommend paying special attention to the appearance of shortness of breath during normal games.
Patients are often prescribed the wrong treatment for insufficient diagnosis: courses of antibiotics, warming of the throat. This leads to faster progress in oncopathology.
Stages of laryngeal cancer
After doctors are convinced that the cause of the disease is the oncological process, the most important task is to accurately determine its stage. It will depend on which treatment method or combination to prescribe to the patient. The quality of research results and their proper evaluation are important. The TNM classification is used to determine the stage of laryngeal cancer.
-
T (Latin.tumor, tumor) – this indicator indicates the size of the tumor. For example, in ligament cancer, T1 is a small tumor limited to one anatomical area, while the ligament mobility is preserved. T1b is a tumor spread to both ligaments. T4a is a tumor that affects the thyroid cartilage, soft tissues of the neck, thyroid gland, possibly the esophagus and the root of the tongue.
-
N (Latin. Node) – indicates whether the lymph nodes are affected. N0 - there are no signs of damage to the regional lymph nodes. N3 – lymph node metastases greater than 6 cm
-
M (German Metastasis, metastases) – indicates metastases to distant organs. M0 – there are no signs of damage to distant organs, M1 – there are distant metastases.
Entry T1bN1M0 indicates that the patient has a small tumor affecting both ligaments, lymph nodes are affected, but there are no metastases to distant organs. However, when determining the stage and choosing treatment methods, the doctor takes into account many other factors, such as the patient's age and state of health. Only a specialist should interpret the diagnostic results and then discuss them with the patient. Psychological attitude plays a huge role in achieving good results in treatment. An open conversation between an oncologist and a patient allows you to understand the problem and set yourself up for a step-by-step solution, to create the right expectations from treatment.
Diagnosis of throat cancer
The main diagnostic method is laryngoscopy, an examination of the throat using a laryngoscope device. This procedure is often combined with a biopsy, which takes samples of affected tissues. The samples are sent for examination, which should identify cancer cells. Radiography in this oncopathology provides a large amount of information. The larynx is a hollow organ, all the changes are clearly visible in the pictures. Radiography also helps to identify damage to the jaw and chest. MRI and CT scans help to accurately determine the size and shape of the tumor. Ultrasound is necessary in order to assess the condition of the lymph nodes.
To assess the condition of the vocal cords, an acoustic examination of the voice is performed: noise, pitch frequency, and signal spectrum are analyzed. The higher the degree of damage to the vocal cords, the more noticeable the changes in these parameters. All this will help the doctor choose the appropriate treatment method for a particular patient.
Types of laryngeal cancer
A tumor can occur on the folds of the larynx itself, under them or above them. With the development of the tumor process, a neoplasm that has arisen in the lower regions of the larynx can spread upward and vice versa, a tumor that has arisen above the vocal folds can affect the areas below.
Treatment of laryngeal cancer
In each case, the doctor determines the treatment tactics individually, if possible, taking into account the chance to save the patient's voice. As a rule, radiation or chemotherapy is used to treat this type of cancer in stage I. Minimally invasive surgical techniques using micro-tools and lasers have been developing in recent years. This is a gentle treatment that allows you to shorten the rehabilitation period, as well as save the patient's voice.
Tumor removal is often combined with prosthetics during treatment, while using the latest endoprostheses that take root well in the body and give the patient the opportunity to maintain the quality of life.
If laryngeal cancer is detected at a later stage, laryngectomy is performed – removal of the affected part of the organ. For a patient, this treatment method does not always mean complete loss of voice and respiratory complications – the choice of surgery volume depends on the location of the tumor and the degree of its spread. The surgical method of treatment, removal of a large volume of tissue, also implies a complex reconstruction of the throat to facilitate rehabilitation. After surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy is often prescribed. Combined treatment methods are used, as a rule, in the late stages of the disease, they help to fight metastases, but advanced oncopathology leads to disability. After radical treatment, the most important task is to restore the patient's ability to speak. To do this, the patient must work with a specialist to master the correct breathing and sound production techniques.
At the EMC Institute of Oncology, it is possible to treat laryngeal cancer using the latest generation of linear accelerators using modern radiotherapy techniques to avoid traumatic surgical treatment and preserve the patient's quality of life.
Sources:
https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/sovremennye-aspekty-lecheniya-i-reabilitatsii-bolnyh-pri-rake-gortani A.L. Kozhanov // Modern aspects of treatment and rehabilitation of patients with laryngeal cancer
https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/sovremennye-metody-diagnostiki-predrakovyh-i-rakovyh-izmeneniy-slizistoy-obolochki-rta G.S. Mezhevikina, E.A. Glukhova //Modern diagnostic methods for precancerous and cancerous changes in the oral mucosa/2018
https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/predrakovye-zabolevaniya-gortani-u-detey I. I. Nazhmudinov, T. I. Gerashchenko, D.P. Polyakov, I.Y. Serebryakova, I.G. Huseynov // Precancerous diseases of the larynx in children/ 2018
.webp)
.webp)
