- Laryngeal cancer: at the first sign - to the doctor!
- Causes and symptoms
Laryngeal cancer - this is a rare type of cancer. It is five times more common in men than in women, and is developing mainly in patients older than forty years. Three-quarters of patients with laryngeal cancer are over the age of sixty years. When the diagnosis in the early stages there is a fairly good chance that the cancer will be able to heal completely. In later stages, the forecast is much less favorable.
The symptoms of laryngeal cancer
In most cases, cancer of the larynx develops near the vocal cords, so the first noticeable symptom is often a change in the sound of the voice. For example, the voice may be hoarse or too quiet.
Other symptoms of cancer
Symptoms of cancer: time to recognize the disease - a guarantee of recovery
larynx:
- Pain when swallowing or difficulty swallowing;
- Seals or swelling in the neck;
- A sore throat;
- Ear pain;
- Persistent cough;
- Unexplained weight reduction;
- Heavy breathing;
- Coughing up phlegm with blood;
- Bad breath
Breath (halitosis) - is sometimes useful to close the mouth
;
- Fatigue and weakness.
When to seek medical advice
Consult your doctor if you experience any of the above symptoms, and they persist for more than three weeks.
Because these symptoms can be caused by many other disorders, it is unlikely that you have cancer of the larynx. However, we must do everything necessary to prevent the disease - or diagnose it as early as possible.
Cancer starts with changes in the structure of the DNA of cells. DNA provides the cells of our basic instructions, for example, about how to grow and when to play.
Changes in the structure of the DNA or mutations may change the instructions defining cell growth. This means that cells continue to grow at a time when similar cells have normal DNA must terminate its growth. This causes the cells to reproduce in an uncontrolled manner, and gradually form a tumor.
Risk factors
The impact of the following factors increases the risk of cancer of the larynx.
Alcohol and tobacco
Numerous data indicate that alcohol and tobacco are the two most important risk factors for the development of laryngeal cancer. It is believed that the alcohol and tobacco contain chemicals that affect the functioning of the cells of the larynx causing mutations that can lead to cancer
Breast cancer - the verdict?
.
Studies have shown that if a person smokes forty cigarettes a day, but do not drink alcohol, the risk of laryngeal cancer and some other cancers, he is five times higher than those who did not smoke or drink. If a person drinks the equivalent of thirty beers a week, the risk of developing throat cancer had also increased five times.
If the person smokes forty cigarettes a day and drank on average thirty beers per week, larynx cancer risk is increased by 38 times.
The fact that only a small number of smokers and heavy drinkers develop cancer of the larynx, allowed the researchers to suggest that there should be certain genetic mutations that make people more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol and smoking.
In people with cancer of the larynx was found a number of common genetic mutations. It is believed that these mutations disrupt the cells' ability to recover from throat damage caused by cigarette smoke and alcohol.
Human papillomavirus (HPV)
Papillomavirus
Papilloma - do not treat lightly
human (HPV) - the name of a family of viruses that infect the skin and mucous membranes of the body.
Studies show that HPV may increase the risk of developing cancer of the larynx. In one out of five cases of patients with laryngeal cancer in the cancer tissue detected HPV DNA.
Dietary
There is reason to believe that a diet rich in red meat, refined foods and fried foods can increase the risk of cancer of the larynx.
Job
Exposure to certain substances at work can also increase the likelihood of developing cancer of the larynx. These agents include:
- Various dyes, especially aerosol;
- Coal dust;
- Wood dust;
- The fumes of diesel fuel;
- Nickel;
- Formaldehyde - a chemical that is used in many industrial processes such as the production of paints and cosmetics;
- Isopropyl alcohol is often used as a cleaning agent.