Most cases of cancer of the larynx occur in people aged over 60. The common early symptom is a persistent hoarse voice. Many cases are diagnosed at an early stage when there is a good chance of a cure. In general, the more advanced the cancer (the more it has grown and spread), the less chance that treatment will be curative.
The larynx is the top part of the trachea (windpipe). It is about 5 cm long and is sometimes called the voice box. You can see and feel the front part of the larynx as the Adam's apple on the front of the neck, just below the chin.
The larynx contains the vocal cords. These are V-shaped ridges of muscle tissue on the inside lining of the larynx. They vibrate when air passes between them to produce speech.
When you breathe in, air passes into the larynx and down the trachea towards the lungs. When you swallow, the larynx moves upwards slightly and a flap of cartilage tissue at the back of the tongue, called the epiglottis, closes over the entrance to the larynx. This ensures that food or drink go down the oesophagus (gullet) and not down the trachea.
Cancer is a disease of the cells in the body. The body is made up from millions of tiny cells. There are many different types of cell in the body, and there are many different types of cancer which arise from different types of cell. What all types of cancer have in common is that the cancer cells are abnormal and multiply 'out of control'.
A malignant tumour is a lump or growth of tissue made up from cancer cells which continue to multiply. As they grow, malignant tumours invade into nearby tissues and organs which can cause damage.
Malignant tumours may also spread to other parts of the body. This happens if some cells break off from the first (primary) tumour and are carried in the bloodstream or lymph channels to other parts of the body. These small groups of cells may then multiply to form secondary tumours (metastases) in one or more parts of the body. These secondary tumours may then grow, invade and damage nearby tissues, and spread again.
Some cancers are more serious than others, some are more easily treated than others, some have a better outlook (prognosis) than others.
So, cancer is not just one condition. In each case it is important to know exactly what type of cancer has developed, how large it has become, and whether it has spread. This will enable you to get reliable information on treatment options and outlook.
Cancer of the larynx is sometimes called laryngeal cancer. Some people also call it throat cancer. However, the throat includes the larynx and other nearby structures. Cancer of the larynx is just one type of cancer that can occur in the throat. Cancer of the larynx is uncommon in the UK with around 2,000 cases developing each year. It is four times more common in men than in women. It is rare in people aged under 40 years and is most common in people aged over 60 years.
There are different types of cancer of the larynx:
The rest of this leaflet is about squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx.
A cancerous tumour starts from one abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is thought that something damages or alters certain genes in the cell. This makes the cell abnormal and multiply out of control. (See separate leaflet called What Causes Cancer for more details.)
Some people develop cancer of the larynx for no apparent reason. However, certain risk factors increase the chance that cancer of the larynx may develop. These include:
All the symptoms can be due to other conditions, so tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis.
If a doctor suspects that you may have cancer of the larynx, he or she will refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist. The specialist will examine the inside of your throat by using a small mirror and light. He or she may also use a thin, flexible, telescope (a nasoendoscope). This is passed into your nose and down the back of your throat. The nasoendoscope contains fibre-optic channels, allowing light to shine down so the doctor can see inside. (The throat is usually sprayed with a local anaesthetic before using a nasendoscope so the procedure is not too uncomfortable.)
If anything suspicious is seen by the examination or with the nasoendoscope, you will usually need a biopsy. A biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed from a part of the body. The sample is then looked at under the microscope to look for abnormal cells. The biopsy sample is obtained by a thin, flexible grabbing instrument which is passed through your nose into the larynx. The same instrument has a light source similar to a nasoendoscope and so the specialist will also examine the trachea and oesophagus to see the extent of any tumour.
In addition to the above tests, if you are confirmed to have cancer of the larynx then further tests may be done; for example, biopsy samples may be taken from the nearby lymph glands by using a fine needle. This helps to assess if any cancer cells have spread to the lymph glands.
Other tests may be arranged to see if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. For example, a CT scan, an MRI scan, or other tests. (The separate leaflets describe each of these tests in more detail.)
This assessment is called staging of the cancer. The aim of staging is to find out:
The biopsy samples are looked at under the microscope to asses the cancer cells. By looking at certain features of the cells the cancer can be graded.
The common grading system used for cancer of the larynx is:
By finding out the stage and grade of the cancer it helps doctors to advise on the best treatment options. It also gives a reasonable indication of outlook (prognosis). However, for cancer of the larynx, it may not be possible to give an accurate staging until after an operation to remove the tumour.
(See separate leaflet called Staging and Grading Cancer for more details.)
Doctors and patients can use Decision Aids together to help choose the best course of action to take.Compare the options for Laryngeal (Throat) Cancer.
Treatment options which may be considered include radiotherapy, surgery, and chemotherapy. The treatment advised for each case depends on various factors such as the exact site of the primary tumour in the larynx, the stage of the cancer (how large the cancer is and whether it has spread), the grade of the cancerous cells, and your general health.
You should have a full discussion with a specialist who knows your case. They will be able to give the pros and cons, likely success rate, possible side-effects, and other details about the possible treatment options for your type of cancer.
You should also discuss with your specialist the aims of treatment. For example:
This is the common treatment if the cancer is small and has not spread from the larynx (early stage). Radiotherapy is a treatment which uses high-energy beams of radiation which are focused on cancerous tissue. This kills cancer cells, or stops cancer cells from multiplying. (See separate leaflet called Radiotherapy for more details.)
Radiotherapy alone gives a good chance of a cure if the cancer is at an early stage. Radiotherapy is also sometimes used in addition to surgery or chemotherapy in certain situations. For example, radiotherapy may be used to shrink a large tumour prior to surgery. This may give a better chance of success with surgery. It is sometimes used following surgery, to kill any cancer cells which may have been left behind following the operation.
Tumours which are larger tend to require surgery. Sometimes surgery is aimed at curing the cancer by removing it all. Sometimes surgery is used to relieve symptoms if the cancer is at an advanced stage (palliative surgery). The operations are all done whilst you are asleep under a general anaesthetic.
The type of operation done depends on the size of the tumour, the exact site of the tumour in the larynx, and whether the cancer has spread to nearby structures or lymph glands. For example:
If the cancer has spread, the surgeon may also remove lymph glands and other structures near to the larynx in addition to removing the larynx. The amount of tissue removed depends on the extent of local spread of the cancer.
Chemotherapy is a treatment which uses anti-cancer drugs to kill cancer cells, or to stop them from multiplying. Chemotherapy used in conjunction with radiotherapy is sometimes used as an alternative to surgery. It aims to preserve the larynx and normal speech. Your specialist will advise when this may be an option. Chemotherapy may also be advised if the cancer has spread to other areas of the body. (See separate leaflet called Chemotherapy with Cytotoxic Medicines for more details.)
Cetuximab is a fairly new treatment for laryngeal cancer. It is a type of monoclonal antibody which means that it can recognise and bind to specific proteins (receptors) that are found in the cancer cells. These proteins are epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs) which stimulate the cancer cell to grow and divide. Cetuximab locks on to the EGFR and can prevent the cancer cells from growing and dividing.
Cetuximab is a treatment that is usually given at the same time as radiotherapy in people who are unable to have chemotherapy.
If a cancer of the larynx is diagnosed and treated at an early stage then there is a good chance of a cure. A cure is less likely if the cancer has spread.
The treatment of cancer is a developing area of medicine. New treatments continue to be developed and the information on outlook above is very general. The specialist who knows your case can give more accurate information about your particular outlook, and how well your type and stage of cancer is likely to respond to treatment.