Glottic cancer

Definition

Glottic cancer, or vocal cord cancer, is a malignant neoplasm arising from the true vocal cords and the anterior or posterior commissure of the larynx. The tumor is less aggressive in its spread compared to other types of cancer and does not affect other organs and tissues until the final stage. The process of development is prolonged, and in the early stages of vocal cord cancer, it has no symptoms and does not affect the quality of life of the patient. However, neglected forms of the disease threaten the patient with the loss of the ability to speak and swallow food and the possibility of death.

Classification

Determining the type of vocal cord cancer is necessary to determine the prospects for surgical intervention and the effectiveness of other treatments.

Based on the types of cells that make up the tumor, vocal cord cancer comes in:

• Spindle-cell carcinoma – belongs to the category of sarcoma-like tumors, as it develops rapidly and behaves aggressively;
• Squamous-cell carcinoma of the vocal cords is: keratinizing – proceeds slowly, does not produce metastases, is not aggressive, non-keratinizing – rapidly growing, affects the lymph nodes and neighboring tissues;
• Undifferentiated – the most dangerous form, as it is highly aggressive and virtually untreatable.

It also distinguishes between carcinoma, papilloma, chondroma, and hemangioma, which are types of oncology of the vocal cords.

Provoking factors

Vocal cord cancer is a relatively rare disease. It is more common in men, and older people are more susceptible than younger people. Factors causing the development of vocal cord cancer:

• polluted air, more often at the expense of living in a big city;
• severe ligament strain of a regular nature;
• Tobacco smoking and excessive alcohol consumption;
• heredity;
• excessive consumption of very hot or spicy food;
• thermal or chemical burns;
• Regular contact with heavy metals, radioactive substances, asbestos, or arsenic.

Some mucosal diseases lead to vocal cord cancer:

• human papillomavirus;
• a defect in the development of mucosal tissue;
• chronic inflammation in the throat, such as laryngitis;
• severe inflammation;
• ifectious diseases, such as tuberculosis or syphilis;
• mucosal pathologies of various natures;
• changes in the structure of the upper layer of the ligament, such as keratinization or breakdown.

Stages

To select the optimal therapy, it is necessary to determine the stage of the disease correctly:

• 1 – characterized by the absence of any signs, looks like a small ulcer, and does not grow;
• 2 – characterized by initial growth and penetration into adjacent tissues, due to which the speed of the vocal tissues slows down, and the voice gets hoarseness and hoarseness;
• stage 3 vocal cord cancer – the tumor takes over the entire larynx, the vocal cords are no longer mobile;
• stage 4 vocal cord cancer – a person cannot utter a sound, and there is the migration of tumor cells to nearby organs: the thyroid gland, sternum, carotid artery, and spinal canal.

Symptoms

The disease’s initial stages do not manifest itself in any way, except for a slight dryness in the throat and slight burning. As the disease develops, hoarseness and difficulty pronouncing sounds appear. Symptoms of vocal cord cancer in women are more pronounced than symptoms of vocal cord cancer in men.

In the second stage, the symptoms of vocal cord cancer are as follows: dry cough without a cold, pain during swallowing and when the ligaments move, lump in the throat, weight loss, and weak breathing.

Signs of vocal cord cancer at stage 3 – the odor of bad, rotten breath, severe enlargement of lymph nodes and lymph flow channels, blood when expectorating, constant aching pain in the throat, increasing at night.

How does vocal cord cancer of the 4th degree manifest itself – constant and rapid fatigue, general weakness, fever, and other signs of intoxication of the body?

Symptoms of vocal cord cancer in men who have a nicotine addiction or who regularly consume strong alcohol appear much earlier and are more pronounced.

Diagnosis

The scheme of diagnostic measures of vocal cord cancer in stages is as follows:

• consultation of an otolaryngologist – visual inspection, palpation, throat examination with a mirror and flexible laryngoscope;
• An endoscopic examination allows the keratinized cells of squamous cell carcinoma of the vocal cords to be viewed;
• histologic and biochemical analysis of the cells of the neoplasm;
• biopsy from the area of the lump;
• MRI and radiography;
• blood tests for cancer markers.

Treatment

The type of treatment for vocal cord cancer depends on the stage of the disease, age, and individual contraindications. Adequate therapy is essential in this case. The goal of vocal cord cancer treatment is to destroy the malignant tumor cells as much as possible and preserve the functioning of the larynx.

Comprehensive therapy includes the following treatments for vocal cord cancer:

• Radiation therapy for vocal cord cancer is radiation irradiation of atypical cells, which is administered both internally and externally. Recently, it has become spot-on, which has increased its effectiveness;
• chemotherapy – destruction of atypical cells with drugs before and after surgery, after radiation therapy to reduce the affected area. It has many side effects – hair loss, nausea, weakness and others;
• surgery for vocal cord cancer is the primary treatment for this type of cancer.

After treatment of vocal cord cancer, there is a period of long rehabilitation – adaptation to new conditions of life and restoration of speech.

All these treatment options are available in more than 700 hospitals worldwide (https://doctor.global/results/diseases/glottic-cancer). For example, Cordectomy can be performed in these countries at following approximate prices:
Turkey$1,336 in 13 clinics

China$4,685 in 5 clinics

Germany$4,759 in 20 clinics

Israel$6, in 9 clinics

United States$8,600in 4 clinics.

Prognosis

Is vocal cord cancer curable? Yes, if the disease is detected at stages 1 and 2, as in this case, the probability of successful surgery is higher. How long can I live with vocal cord cancer without surgery? Without the possibility of surgery, there is practically no chance of recovery. The prognosis of squamous cell cancer of the vocal cords is not particularly comforting due to the speed of the disease development when the stages of the disease change too quickly.

Five-year survival rates depend on several factors, primarily the stage of the malignant process:

• if the lesion is limited to the larynx only – 84%;
• when spreading to surrounding tissues and regional lymph nodes – 52%;
• for distant metastases, 45%.

These indicators are indicative and do not describe each patient’s exact prognosis. The course of cancer in each case is individual. Even at late stages, with inoperable formation, properly selected treatment can significantly improve the condition and prolong life.