Early detection of laryngeal cancer

According to Dr. Le Xuan Canh, deputy director of the central ear-nose-throat hospital, laryngeal cancer is on the rise. The disease is dangerous but the patient can keep his life and voice if detected early.

Hoarse voice, difficulty breathing: go to the doctor immediately

Mr. Nguyen Van Dung (53 years old, Hong Bang district, Hai Phong) has laryngeal cancer - a history of esophageal reflux - stomach.After discovering the disease after being hoarse for about five months, he was still lucky enough to cut the vocal part, so on May 30, after having had surgery for more than a week, he was able to speak normally, though his voice was low. The first sign to recognize the disease is a hoarse voice, gradually increasing the use of medications to treat laryngitis. When the tumor is large, the vocal cords are fixed, the voice becomes hoarse, the sentence is short, the tone is lost, it is difficult to understand.

The patient begins to have difficulty breathing, at first this expression only appears when the patient is working hard (up the stairs, carrying heavy objects), later having difficulty breathing gradually and continuously, sometimes the contractions choke , seemingly dying.

Doctors recommend that, if hoarseness lasts more than two weeks, especially in middle age, if the anti-inflammatory drug has not been cured, the ear-nose-throat specialist should be used immediately. Patients with laryngeal and laryngeal tumors must undergo periodic health checks to detect early cases of the disease that may turn into laryngeal cancer.

Not detected promptly, untreated, the disease will cause rapid death (within 1-3 years) due to exhaustion or suffocation, bleeding (due to cancer spread to the lungs, bones, liver). Detecting late disease (more than 10 years ago, this is a common phenomenon) when the tumor has spread, pinched the throat very clearly, the patient will have to dredge the whole lymph nodes, remove the larynx to the posterior Permanent fruit is no longer pronounced. Currently, early detection, the patient only has to cut one side of the vocal cords or cut one half of the larynx so it is still possible to breathe and speak, although most of the sounds are low and more difficult to hear.

Esophageal reflux - stomach also causes illness?

Dr. Cành said that there is a common denominator in many cases of esophageal cancer that patients often have a history of gastroesophageal reflux (also known as heartburn). During treatment, doctors discovered this unexpected connection.

Laryngeal cancer may be the result of chronic laryngitis. On the other hand, chronic laryngitis is the corollary of the cause: due to inflammation, due to the absorption of toxins (smoke, car smoke .). Gastroesophageal reflux disease - the esophagus will produce very clear inflammation. When the meal is finished, the muscle in the heart contributes to tightening, the food is pushed back up, the gastric juice flows up the esophagus. In addition, the acid in the stomach fluid has a strong impact on the larynx mucosa, which has no part to protect it from the effects of this acid. As a result, patients are prone to prolonged bronchitis, sore throat, laryngitis. Prolonged this condition, the fiber organization will form, the patient is narrowed in the airway, causing difficulty in breathing.

Dr. Cành said the phenomenon of gastroesophageal reflux - esophagus causes laryngitis, swelling, heat, redness, pain in the larynx and accompanied by fever manifestations. In children, laryngitis also causes severe breathing difficulties, which can lead to death.

Doctor's advice for patients with gastroesophageal reflux - esophagus is to treat endemic gastric disease, avoid causing abnormal inflammation in the nose-throat area. When there are signs of heartburn, it is necessary to adjust eating habits, eat and drink, not to lie immediately, abstain from stimulants such as alcohol, beer, cigarettes, coffee . To prevent this disease, Italy Each person's active mode plays an important role.

NGOC HA