Early symptoms and signs of laryngeal cancer

Laryngeal cancer is a malignant tumor originating from the epithelial tissue of the laryngeal mucosa and is one of the common malignant tumors of the head and neck. The main early symptoms include voice-related symptoms, throat symptoms, cough and sputum-related symptoms, dyspnea symptoms, neck symptoms, etc. The specific analysis is as follows:

1. Voice-related symptoms: Hoarseness is common, which is caused by the impact of cancer cells on the vocal cords. The degree of hoarseness may gradually increase as the disease progresses, from mild changes in pitch to severe hoarseness or even inability to speak. In the early stages of laryngeal cancer, the patient's voice may change, such as becoming deep or hoarse. This change may last for a long time and is not easy to ignore. Perform a laryngoscopy as soon as possible to confirm the diagnosis. Try voice rehabilitation training to restore or improve the quality of the voice.

2. Throat symptoms: You may experience pain in the throat, especially when swallowing or talking. This pain may gradually worsen and affect your daily life. You may often feel a foreign body sensation in your throat, as if something is stuck in your throat and you can't swallow it or spit it out. This foreign body sensation may become more obvious as the disease worsens. You may feel discomfort or difficulty swallowing, especially when eating. Some patients may feel pain when swallowing. Keep your throat moist, drink plenty of water or use a humidifier. Avoid irritating foods and drinks.

3. Symptoms related to cough and sputum: Patients with laryngeal cancer may have a persistent cough, which is usually not relieved by drinking water. When coughing up sputum, patients may find blood in the sputum. This is due to local blood vessel rupture caused by cancer cells. In the early stages of laryngeal cancer, there may not be much blood in the sputum, only a little blood, but as the disease worsens, the blood may increase. Use cough suppressants or inhalation therapy to relieve cough. Keep the indoor air fresh and avoid irritation.

4. Symptoms of dyspnea: Due to the large size of the tumor, the glottis may be blocked, causing severe dyspnea. When exhaling, depressions may appear in the suprasternal fossa, intercostal space, and supraclavicular fossa. Avoid strenuous exercise and excessive fatigue. Keep the airway open to avoid infection.

5. Neck symptoms: If the malignant tumor in the larynx is relatively large, you may feel a mass in the neck. These masses are usually less active. In the late stage of laryngeal cancer, there may also be symptoms of cervical lymph node metastasis, which will initially metastasize to the lymph nodes in the deep middle of the neck on the same side, and then may gradually metastasize to the opposite side. Regularly check the neck to detect abnormalities early. Keep the neck skin clean to avoid infection.

It is important to emphasize that prevention of laryngeal cancer is equally important. You can reduce your risk of laryngeal cancer by avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol intake, maintaining a good diet, and getting regular laryngeal exams.