Laryngeal cancer is cancer in your larynx. Your larynx is in your throat.
The primary functions of your larynx is to give you a voice because it’s where you voice box is located and stops food from entering your lungs. So when your larynx has a problem, you’ll likely experience symptoms of a sore throat and a voice change.
Unless you’ve smoked for years and/or drink heavily, your sore throat and voice change are probably caused by some health condition other than laryngeal cancer. Laryngitis is a more plausible cause for these throat symptoms.
It’s highly unusual for a nonsmoker and nondrinker to develop cancer in their larynx. However, if you’ve been inhaling stuff like asbestos particles, wood dust, paint or industrial chemical fumes for a long time, then your risk for this cancer increases.
Laryngeal cancer develops slowly, causing various symptoms depend on where your tumor is located, for instance:
- halitosis
- dyspnea
- dysphagia
- weight loss
- hoarseness
- voice change
- chronic cough
- persistent ear pain
- neck, throat lumps
- stubborn sore throat
These symptoms can also be caused numerous other throat related health conditions, i.e. respiratory infection, step throat, esophagitis, tonsillitis and epiglottitis.
Standard treatment for laryngeal cancer is surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Surgery may involve only a partial removal of your larynx or a total extraction.
