Laryngeal cancer involves malignant tumors originating from the larynx's epithelium, specifically the supraglottis, glottis, and subglottis. It commonly affects individuals in their 60s and 70s.

While the exact causes of laryngeal cancer remain unclear, several factors elevate the risk. These include: smoking, alcohol consumption, chronic laryngitis, prolonged exposure to secondhand smoke, alcohol abuse, genetic predisposition, and frequent contact with chemicals like asbestos or coal dust. Certain conditions, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, laryngeal hernia, and laryngeal papilloma, also increase susceptibility to this cancer.

Cigarettes contain numerous harmful substances that affect laryngeal cells, potentially causing gene mutations and laryngeal damage, which facilitates cancer formation. The risk of developing the disease increases with the daily number of cigarettes smoked, the duration of smoking, and whether exposure is active or passive secondhand smoke.

Doctor Phat consults a patient. Illustration: Tam Anh General Clinic District 7

Common symptoms of laryngeal cancer, such as hoarseness, often resemble laryngitis and are easily overlooked. Patients may also experience a dry cough, phlegm, throat discomfort, a sensation of a foreign object in the throat, laryngeal dyspnea, and swallowing disorders. Individuals with any unusual symptoms should seek medical examination for early diagnosis and treatment.

Early detection of laryngeal cancer, when the tumor is small, confined to the vocal cords, and has not spread to surrounding tissues, allows for endoscopic surgery via the mouth using a high-energy CO2 laser beam. This procedure removes the tumor while preserving respiratory, swallowing, and speech functions. Patients avoid tracheostomy or open surgery and do not require vocal cord reconstruction. This approach leads to shorter hospital stays and faster recovery.

If the disease is detected late, with the tumor deeply invasive or spread to the thyroid cartilage or opposite glottis, doctors must perform open surgery, extensively resecting the lesion and reconstructing the larynx. This more complex procedure involves both tumor removal and laryngeal preservation, requiring a longer recovery period. In many advanced cases of laryngeal cancer, doctors must remove the entire vocal cords.

If hoarseness, sore throat, or phlegm persist for two to three weeks without improvement, patients should seek immediate medical attention for endoscopic examination, diagnosis, and appropriate treatment. Quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and avoiding extensive exposure to industrial chemicals contribute to preventing laryngeal cancer.

Master of Science, Doctor, First Degree Specialist Truong Tan Phat

Head of Ear, Nose, and Throat Unit

Tam Anh General Clinic District 7