Synonyms
vocal fold carcinoma, glottis carcinoma, vocal fold CA
Definition
The vocal fold cancer (vocal fold carcinoma) is a malignant tumor disease of the vocal folds. One of the main signs (symptoms) of the disease is hoarseness. Every hoarseness that lasts longer than three weeks must be examined at the larynx. A laryngoscopy of the larynx (laryngoscopy) is performed to check whether the disease is harmless or malignant. Since vocal fold cancer has a relatively good prognosis, a cure can be achieved by early detection!
Occurrence
Predominantly men in the higher age fall ill. For about 70 years this tumor has been observed more frequently and is explained by an increase in environmental toxins. Other throat cancer-promoting poisons and substances are asbestos (former insulating material), benzene (in petroleum and cigarette smoke), chromates (in corrosion inhibitors) and nickel (in metal alloys).
Symptoms
Hoarseness is unfortunately far too often played down and dismissed as a cold, a cold sore or vocal overload. In many cases this explanation is correct. However, a longer lasting hoarseness must always be suspected of other disease processes. Inflammations, such as acute laryngitis (pseudocroup), which can occur in the context of a cold, usually last no longer than two weeks. Also harmless are vocal fold nodules after vocal overload, but also require clarification by a specialist for ear, nose and throat medicine.
Diagnosis
Using a laryngeal mirror (laryngoscope), the specialist in ear, nose and throat medicine will examine the larynx and its vocal folds (glottis). In order to assess the foreign tissue on the larynx (tissue examination, histology), a small piece is taken with a fine gripper (sample excision, fine needle puncture, PE) and sent to the pathology department for microscopic examination. This examination is carried out under exclusion of pain (local anesthesia). In order to determine the extent of possible tumor spread (metastasis), an ultrasound examination of the neck (sonography), a computer tomography (CT) of the neck and chest (ribcage, thorax) and possibly an ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity (abdomen) are performed.
