The larynx plays an important role in controlling the opening and closing of the vocal cords, allowing us to produce sounds used in communication. It also helps prevent foreign substances such as water and food from entering the trachea, preventing choking while eating, and serves as a passageway for air when we breathe.
Common symptom of laryngeal tumors is hoarseness
For most people who use their voice a lot, such as singing or cheering, hoarseness usually gradually improves within 2-3 days. However, if hoarseness persists for more than 2 weeks, Dr. Purich Praneetwotakul, an ear, nose, and throat specialist, recommends “Patients should come to the hospital for a diagnosis because this may be a warning sign of a serious disease.”
People who have professions that require extensive voice use, such as teachers, lecturers, singers, actors, hosts, doctors, and nurses, are at higher risk of developing laryngeal diseases than the general population. These conditions include cysts, laryngeal swelling, or tumors. If the tumor is stimulated by other risk factors such as alcohol consumption, smoking, or exposure to secondhand smoke from close contacts, the symptoms may worsen and lead to laryngeal cancer.
The harmful virus is the cause of tumors
There are various types of laryngeal tumors. Some patients may develop tumors due to infections, most commonly caused by the papilloma virus. In children, this is usually transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy. Infants born with this condition will have hoarseness and difficulty breathing because of growths in the trachea or larynx. Since young children have weaker immune systems, the disease tends to be more severe than in adults and is prone to recurrence. Within one year, the tumor may need to be removed up to ten times. In adults, infection is often linked to frequent changes of sexual partners or oral sex, which transmits the papilloma virus through sexual contact, eventually leading to laryngeal tumors.
Treatment options for “laryngeal cancer”
If the tumor is benign and not cancerous, it can be treated by removing the tumor through endoscopic surgery or laser treatment. However, if it is laryngeal cancer, the treatment process varies depending on the stage of the disease. For early-stage cancer, doctors may consider either surgical removal of the malignant tissue or radiation therapy. In more advanced stages, surgery combined with radiation therapy may be necessary, and sometimes chemotherapy is also required.
Side effects from treatment
Normally, if the larynx is intact without scarring, a person’s voice will be clear and resonant. However, after surgery, radiation, or any procedure that causes scarring, the side effect is hoarseness. In more severe cases, if the vocal cords lose their ability to close properly, it can cause the patient to choke easily and have a weak voice.
Self-care after surgery
After surgery, patients must strictly follow the doctor’s instructions. “They must quit smoking and reduce voice use” to lower the risk of tumor recurrence. Excessive voice use in the surgical area may cause scarring, which can distort the voice. In the initial post-operative period, patients should rest their voice for at least 3-7 days. If the surgical wound is large, a longer rest period may be necessary, sometimes requiring months for full recovery.
If a tumor is detected while still small, treatment is easier and post-operative side effects are less severe. If left untreated until the tumor grows large, the surgical wound will also be larger, and there is a risk that the tumor may spread to adjacent organs.
