Larynx Cancer (cont.)
Symptoms
The symptoms of cancer of the larynx depend mainly on the size of the tumor
and where it is in the larynx. Symptoms may include the following:
- Hoarseness or other voice changes
- A lump in the neck
- A sore throat or feeling that something is stuck in your throat
- A cough that does not go away
- Problems breathing
- Bad breath
- An earache
- Weight loss
These symptoms may be caused by cancer or by other, less serious
problems. Only a doctor can tell for sure.
Diagnosis
If you have symptoms of cancer
of the larynx, the doctor may do some or all of the following exams:
- Physical exam. The doctor will feel your neck and check your thyroid,
larynx, and lymph nodes for abnormal lumps or swelling. To see your throat, the
doctor may press down on your tongue.
- Indirect laryngoscopy. The doctor looks down your throat using a
small, long-handled mirror to check for abnormal areas and to see if your vocal
cords move as they should. This test does not hurt. The doctor may spray a local
anesthesia in your throat to keep you from gagging. This exam is done in the
doctor's office.
- Direct laryngoscopy. The doctor inserts a thin, lighted tube called a
laryngoscope through your nose or mouth. As the tube goes down your throat, the
doctor can look at areas that cannot be seen with a mirror. A local anesthetic
eases discomfort and prevents gagging. You may also receive a mild sedative to
help you relax. Sometimes the doctor uses general anesthesia to put a person to
sleep. This exam may be done in a doctor's office, an outpatient clinic, or a
hospital.
- CT scan. An x-ray machine linked to a computer takes a series of
detailed pictures of the neck area. You may receive an injection of a special
dye so your larynx shows up clearly in the pictures. From the CT scan, the
doctor may see tumors in your larynx or elsewhere in your neck.
- Biopsy. If an exam shows an abnormal area, the doctor may remove a
small sample of tissue. Removing tissue to look for cancer cells is called a
biopsy. For a biopsy, you receive local or general anesthesia, and the doctor
removes tissue samples through a laryngoscope. A pathologist then looks at the
tissue under a microscope to check for cancer cells. A biopsy is the only sure
way to know if a tumor is cancerous.
If you need a biopsy, you may want to ask the doctor the following questions:
- What kind of biopsy will I have? Why?
- How long will it take? Will I be awake? Will it hurt?
- How soon will I know the results?
- Are there any risks? What are the chances of infection or bleeding after the
biopsy?
- If I do have cancer, who will talk with me about treatment? When?
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