What is the cause of laryngeal cancer?

The exact cause of laryngeal cancer is still unclear, but it may be caused by a combination of factors.

(1) Smoking: Most patients have a history of long-term heavy smoking. The incidence of laryngeal cancer is proportional to the amount of daily smoking and the total time of smoking. Long-term passive smoking can also cause cancer. It has been confirmed that the components of tobacco tar produced when tobacco is burned have carcinogenic effects. Smoke can cause mucosal congestion, edema, epithelial hyperplasia and squamous metaplasia, and cessation or retardation of ciliary movement, which is called the basis of carcinogenesis.

(2) Drinking: Supraglottic laryngeal cancer may be related to drinking. The risk of laryngeal cancer in drinkers is 1.5 to 4.4 times that of non-drinkers. The risk of laryngeal cancer in heavy smokers and drinkers is significantly increased, and the two have a synergistic effect.

(3) Air pollution: Long-term inhalation of industrial dust or waste gas such as sulfur dioxide, chromium, arsenic, etc. can lead to respiratory tract tumors.

(4) Occupational factors: Long-term exposure to asbestos, mustard gas, nickel, etc. may lead to laryngeal cancer.

(5) Viral infection: There is a consensus that Epstein-Barr virus is associated with Burkitt lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

(6) Sex hormones and their receptors: The laryngeal cavity is a secondary sexual organ and is also considered a target organ for sex hormones. Male patients with laryngeal cancer are significantly more likely to be male than female patients. The serum testosterone level of laryngeal cancer patients is significantly higher than that of normal people, while the estrogen level is lower than 1. After tumor resection, the serum testosterone level drops rapidly.

(7) Trace elements in the body: Many trace elements are essential components of biological enzyme systems and biological structures. Excessive or insufficient amounts of certain trace elements will change the structure and function of enzymes, affect cell division and proliferation, and lead to gene mutations.

(8) Precancerous lesions: Laryngeal keratosis (including leukoplakia and pachyderma) and chronic hyperplastic laryngitis, etc., due to long-term upper respiratory tract infection, smoking, and stimulation of harmful gases, lead to abnormal proliferation or atypical proliferation of epithelial cells, which often eventually lead to cancer. Some people also regard laryngeal papilloma in adults as precancerous lesions.

(9) Radiation: Small doses of radiotherapy can cause soft tissue, thyroid, and salivary gland tumors.