Glossary - L

Laryngeal Cancer

Laryngeal Cancer is the most common cancer representing fewer than 1% of all malignant lesions. Squamous cell carcinomas comprise 5-98% of all malignant neoplasms of the larynx. At the time of diagnosis, 62% will have local disease, 26% regional disease and 8% distant disease in the lungs, liver and/or bone. The pulmonary system is affected and there is no known genetic association. The incidence in the United States is 5/100,000. The median age of occurrence is in the sixth and seventh decades. Fewer than 1% of laryngeal cancers arise in patients under 30 years of age. The predominant sex is male (ratio 5:1). There is an increasing incidence in female smokers. Symptoms of this disease include: persistent hoarseness in an elderly or middle aged cigarette smoker, Dysphagia, chronic cough, hemoptysis, weight loss due to poor nutrition, mass in the neck due to metastatic lymph node, lump in the neck and tenderness of the larynx. Causes as well as risk factors include smoking and alcohol abuse.

 

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