The larynx, commonly known as the voice box, sits in the front of the neck. It is made up of an intricate system of muscles, cartilages, and tissues. The larynx is important for voice production, breathing and swallowing. It has three levels: glottal, supraglottal and subglottal. Cancer of the larynx, often referred to as throat cancer, can happen at any of these levels and will have different symptoms in the early stages, depending on where it occurs.
Glottal Level
In the early stages of cancer at the glottal level, a person often will experience voice changes. This is because the vocal folds, the bands of tissue that vibrate to produce voice, are found at this level of the larynx. According to research published in "Head & Neck" in April 2005, 96 percent of patients with cancer at this level of the larynx reported that their first symptom was a hoarse voice, or other voice changes such as voice loss. Another less common symptom was trouble breathing. This research showed that doctors often diagnose cancer at the glottal level earlier than cancer in other parts of the larynx. This is likely due to the voice changes that don't go away.
Supraglottal Level
The early stage of cancer at the supraglottal level of the larynx often goes undiagnosed. According to the "Head & Neck" article, symptoms often show up only when the cancer is at an advanced stage. This is because the structures that cancer affects at this level do not produce obvious symptoms, such as the voice changes seen when cancer invades the vocal folds.
One common structure affected at this level is the epiglottis, which is a cartilage flap that closes over the the windpipe to prevent food and liquid from entering it. When cancer becomes extensive enough to prevent this from happening normally, difficulty swallowing occurs. Other symptoms that may show up include sore throat, voice changes and ear pain.
Subglottal Level
Like the supraglottal level, the early stage of cancer at the subglottal level of the larynx often goes undiagnosed. Tumors in the subglottic region may have to be fairly large before they produce symptoms. According to a 2000 article in the "European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology," the primary symptoms of this type of cancer include difficulty breathing and stridor, which is noisy breathing. These symptoms occur when the tumor becomes large enough to interfere with airflow in and out of the lungs.
References
- "Head & Neck"; Laryngeal cancer patients: analysis of patient delay at different tumor stages; Brouha XD, Tromp DM, de Leeuw JR, Hordijk GJ, Winnubst JA; April 2005
- "European Archives of Otorhinolaryngology"; The pathology and management of subglottic cancer; Ferlito A, Rinaldo A; April 2000
