Laryngeal Cancer

Abstract

Overview Incidence, Etiology, and EpidemiologyLaryngeal carcinoma is the commonest head and neck carcinoma. Male to female ratio is around 1/5. Anatomically, larynx is situated anterior to the fourth and sixth cervical vertebrae and is divided into three regions for oncologic assessment and treatment purposes, namely, supraglottis , glottis, and subglottis . Majority of the laryngeal cancers arise from glottis followed by supra-and subglottic cancers, respectively. The strongest risk factor is the tobacco smoking, and the risk is directly associated with quantity and time of exposure. Alcohol is only second to tobacco use with its independent and synergistic actions on epithelium. Regardless of the tumor site, dysphonia and hoarseness are the commonest symptoms in laryngeal cancer patients with sore throat being the second commonest symptom in supraglottic tumors. However, besides other symptoms, a cervical mass may be the fi rst presentation fi nding in some patients. Patients with hoarseness persisting longer than 3 weeks or with persisting sore throat, dysphagia, and odynophagia lasting for more than 6 weeks should be evaluated by an otolaryngologist for laryngeal carcinoma.