Will laryngeal cancer recur after total laryngectomy?

The treatment of laryngeal cancer is mainly total laryngectomy and partial laryngectomy. About 40% of laryngeal cancer patients need total laryngectomy due to the large range of lesions. After total laryngectomy, the patient breathes through the tracheostomy in the neck, there is no airflow in the mouth, and cannot speak normally. So, what are the precautions for patients who have undergone total laryngectomy?

1. The patient should carry a security identity card with him/her and write down his/her name, age, address, and contact number on the card, especially noting that he/she has undergone a total laryngectomy, just in case.

2. Appropriate exercise after surgery can help patients recover their physical strength. The amount of exercise should be increased gradually, and patients should not rush for results. They should try to exercise the neck and shoulder functions. Because neck lymph node dissection is required at the same time as total laryngectomy, the neck and shoulder muscles are damaged after surgery, which leads to patients' unwillingness to move more due to pain and discomfort, and then muscle atrophy and limited upper limb movement, affecting the quality of life. Functional exercise as soon as possible can avoid the occurrence of these complications. Neck activities include forward bending, backward bending, left and right lateral bending, left and right rotation, etc.; shoulder joint functional exercise includes six movements: forward raising, backward extension, lateral raising, adduction, internal rotation and external rotation.

3. Recurrence and metastasis of laryngeal cancer usually occur within two years after treatment, so regular check-ups are required. The check-up time is 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months after discharge from the hospital, and then every other year. If there is a lump in the neck, the swelling of the neck does not decrease but worsens, breathing difficulties, coughing up blood, etc., you should go to the hospital for examination immediately.