5 key points for early diagnosis of laryngeal cancer

Laryngeal cancer is a malignant tumor originating from the epithelial tissue of the laryngeal mucosa. The patients are mainly middle-aged and elderly people, and men are more likely to suffer from laryngeal cancer than women. Most laryngeal cancers occur in the vocal cords. Therefore, when symptoms such as hoarseness or throat discomfort or sore throat appear, and these symptoms last for a long time and gradually worsen, and anti-inflammatory treatment is ineffective, it should be suspected. Any middle-aged or elderly person who has a hoarse voice for more than 6 weeks, and a few patients who find a lump in the neck, should see an otolaryngologist.

Clinically, the early diagnosis of laryngeal cancer mainly includes the following points:

1. Patients with unexplained hoarseness or foreign body sensation in the throat that do not improve after symptomatic treatment, especially those aged 46 years or older, accompanied by irritating dry cough, blood in sputum, sore throat, headache, earache, and dyspnea, should be highly alert.

2. Neck mass, including variations in the contour of the thyroid cartilage, thyrohyoid membrane, superior angle of the thyroid cartilage, cricothyroid membrane, and thyroid gland.

3. Starting from the mandibular angle, there are enlarged lymph nodes along the front edge of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, which are hard, non-tender, and have reduced mobility.

4. Long-term smokers with a family history of cancer, people who work in certain occupations, people who are exposed to radioactive substances and asbestos dust, and people who make dichromates, should be screened and diagnosed with emphasis.

5. With the help of X-ray, CT, laryngoscopy, local cell smear of laryngeal lesions, cytopathological examination, combined with actual examination, the diagnosis can usually be confirmed.