What Are the Stages of Laryngeal Cancer?

What Are the Stages of Laryngeal Cancer?

Laryngeal carcinoma progresses via four phases. Depending on where the cancer begins in your larynx, they are slightly different.

When abnormal (cancerous) cells begin to proliferate in your larynx, sometimes referred to as your voice box, it can result in laryngeal cancer. The portion of your airway that joins your trachea and throat is called your larynx. The passageway that air takes to reach your lungs is called the trachea.

Your vocal cords, located in your larynx, vibrate when air travels through them, enabling you to talk. Breathing and swallowing are coordinated in part by your larynx.

There are three parts to your larynx:

• the supraglottis, which is the point where your throat and larynx join.
• the middle, or glottis, is where your vocal chords are located.
• the subglottis, which is the point where your trachea and larynx unite at the bottom

Any of these regions may be the beginning of laryngeal cancer.

Based on the size of the tumour and whether the cancer has spread to other parts of your body, a doctor will determine the stage of the disease when making a cancer diagnosis. They can select the most appropriate course of treatment for your cancer with this information.

Here are some facts on the phases of laryngeal carcinoma.

What are the stages of larynx cancer?

Depending on precisely where the cancer begins in your larynx, there are differences in the staging of laryngeal cancer. The stage range for laryngeal cancer is 0–4.

Every kind of laryngeal carcinoma is in stage 0. Your larynx has cancer cells in stage 0, but they are limited to the very top layer of tissue. They haven't begun to encroach further into sound tissue yet.

Laryngeal cancer in the supraglottis, above your vocal cords

• Stage 1: Only in the supraglottis is cancer present.
• Stage 2: Your voice may or may not be affected by the cancer that has spread to your vocal chords.
• Stage 3: Your larynx has been affected by cancer, which may have also migrated to a nearby lymph node.
• Stage 4: There is another part of your body where the cancer has spread from your larynx.

Laryngeal cancer in the glottis, where your vocal cords are located

• Stage 1: There is simply glottis cancer. Your voice may be affected by glottis cancer because here is where your vocal chords are located.
• Stage 2: Your vocal cords are either below or above the cancer.
• Stage 3: Your larynx has been affected by cancer, which may have also migrated to a nearby lymph node.
• Stage 4: There is another area of your body where the cancer has spread from your larynx.

Laryngeal cancer in the subglottis, below your vocal cords

• Stage 1: There is only cancer in the subglottis.
• Stage 2: Your voice may be affected by the cancer that has spread to your vocal chords.
• Stage 3: Your larynx has been affected by cancer, which may have also migrated to a nearby lymph node.
• Stage 4: There is another area of your body where the cancer has spread from your larynx.

Symptoms of each stage

The majority of the time, glottis-related cancer is detected early on. Because the cancer is encroaching on your vocal chords, it alters the tone of your voice or makes it hoarse.

Voice changes are not a symptom of supraglottic or subglottic cancer until it has progressed to a more advanced stage. It might have already reached your vocal cords by then.

Subglottis or supraglottis carcinoma is asymptomatic until a later stage. These symptoms could also be associated with more advanced malignancy of the glottis.

Symptoms include:

• a sore throat
• a lump on your throat
• ear pain
• trouble breathing
• trouble swallowing or discomfort when swallowing

Are different stages of laryngeal cancer curable?

Instead of declaring that cancer has been cured, doctors usually use the word "remission." "Remission" denotes the absence of cancerous cells or the absence of active malignancy. The word "cure" implies that a recurrence of the cancer is not anticipated, however, it is extremely difficult to confirm this.

Early-stage laryngeal carcinoma has a higher chance of being surgically removed entirely. Following surgery, a doctor may declare the cancer cured if there are no more cancer cells.

Later stages of laryngeal cancer are usually treated with surgery, which may be followed by radiation or chemotherapy if necessary. After a surgeon removes the tumour, any cancer cells that may still be present can be eliminated with radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Whether the tumour has spread and its size will determine the specific course of treatment.

Alcohol consumption and smoking are two risk factors for laryngeal cancer. The National Cancer Institute states that following treatment, those who smoke and drink continue to increase their risk of developing this cancer.

Life expectancy of different stages of laryngeal cancer

A 5-year relative survival rate is frequently used to describe cancer survival statistics. When compared to a person without cancer, this rate indicates the likelihood that an individual would survive for five years following their diagnosis.

It's critical to keep in mind that a person's prognosis for laryngeal cancer is influenced by a variety of factors. It is impossible to pinpoint a person's exact lifespan.

The 5-year relative survival rate for laryngeal carcinoma that originates in the supraglottis is as follows:

• If the malignancy is limited to the supraglottis, 61%
• 46% if it has moved to a tissue or lymph node next to your larynx, or inside your larynx.
• 30% if the cancer has moved to a more remote area of your body.

The 5-year relative survival rate for glottis-primary laryngeal carcinoma is:

• If the malignancy is limited to the subglottis, 59%
• 38% if it has moved to a tissue or lymph node next to your larynx, or inside your larynx.
• 44% in cases where the cancer has progressed to a more remote area of the body

Studies indicate that surgical intervention is superior to radiation therapy alone for the treatment of laryngeal cancer at any stage.

What is the quality of life after laryngeal cancer treatment?

For each person, quality of life might imply different things. It's critical to think about what matters most to you and to ensure that your family and medical team are aware of this.

Thanks to developments in surgical methods, doctors will attempt to preserve your vocal cord function wherever possible. However, there are situations when vocal cord damage from treatment or the necessity for laryngectomy may be necessary.

Rehabilitation programmes and specialised equipment can assist you in relearning how to talk in those situations.

Research has shown that individuals undergoing treatment for head and neck cancer who had their larynx removed typically had a worse quality of life than other patients. This is a significant life transition that has an impact on numerous facets of both mental and physical health.

Does treatment differ based on the stages of laryngeal cancer?

Indeed. The primary treatment for laryngeal cancer in its early stages is typically surgery. An operating surgeon might be able to remove the entire tumour if the malignancy has not spread.

Surgery may still be a possibility for later stages of the disease to eliminate as much of it as feasible. Radiation or chemotherapy may be suggested by doctors following surgery to eradicate or reduce any cancer cells that remain.

Takeaway

Any cancer that begins in the larynx, or voice box, is referred to as laryngeal cancer. Cancer can start in any of the three regions of your larynx, which are the supraglottis, glottis, and subglottis.

Your physician will provide you with additional information about your cancer, including the stage if you are diagnosed with laryngeal cancer.

The cancer's size and whether or not it has spread determine the stage of the disease. Treatment selections are guided by information provided by the cancer's stage.