The larynx commonly, called the voice box, is an organ in the neck involved in breathing, sound production, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. The larynx houses the vocal cords, and manipulates pitch and volume, which is essential for phonation. It is situated just below where the tract of the pharynx splits into the trachea and the esophagus. There can be benign or malignant tumors arising of the larynx.

SYMPTOMS

The symptoms and signs of larynx cancer often vary from person to person. Not every patient will exhibit each sign and symptom, but each patient will usually have at least one or two of the following: voice change or hoarseness, cough (usually chronic), sore throat (usually chronic), throat discomfort (feeling like something is caught in the throat), difficulty swallowing or swallowing problems with certain foods, a mass or lump in the neck.

DIAGNOSIS

A simple physical examination with a laryngoscope gives the information needed for diagnosis. Most tumors of the vocal cords (called polyps) are benign. They are caused by abuse of the voice or smoking. Malignant larynx tumors are caused by smoking and/or alcohol abuse.

TREATMENT

Treatment of the larynx tumors depends upon their cause and the patient’s profile. In most cases treatment of the benign tumors of the vocal cords is conservative, it doesn’t include any operation but focuses on staying away from the risk factors instead. In some rare cases it might be needed to operate locally without incisions.Malignant tumors of the larynx require a more complex approach that may combine minimally invasive techniques. There is a whole new generation of techniques assisted by laser emission and robotics technology that succeed in minimizing trauma. Thanks to those advanced techniques it is now possible to remove tumors without incisions. Furthermore radiation has evolved so much that it can treat neoplasms with minimum side effects. The plan of each treatment depends upon the type, the size and the location of the tumor. Treatments of several types might be combined in order to achieve optimum results.

PROGNOSIS

Benign neoplasms of the larynx have excellent prognosis. Usually the health issue is solved easily and permanently. As far as malignant tumors of the larynx are concerned, the treatments have evolved dramatically and their prognosis is excellent, especially if they are detected on time.