Don't ignore laryngeal cancer when your voice changes for more than 6 weeks
Aug 25, 2024
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- What is head and neck cancer?
▶ Head and neck cancer refers to all cancers that occur in the head and neck except brain and eye cancer. It is collectively referred to as head and neck because the frequency of cancer occurring in each tissue (tongue, nose, laryngeal or vocal cord) in the head and neck is low. Head and neck cancer occurs in the same cell called mucous membranes no matter where cancer occurs, so treatment methods, staging, surgical methods, drugs, and radiation therapy are common.
Head and neck cancer is diagnosed every year, accounting for about 5% of all cancer cases. When head and neck cancer is divided into special oral and laryngeal cancers, it is diagnosed at a much lower rate. Head and neck cancer is on the rise, and among them, pharyngeal and oral cancers are particularly high.
-What are the risk factors for head and neck cancer?
▶The first major factors for all head and neck cancers are alcohol and tobacco, especially in the development of oral cancer. Smoking or drinking causes carcinogens, substances that cause mutations in normal cells. More than 90% of head and neck cancer patients are caused by smoking and drinking, so it is very important not to drink and smoke to prevent head and neck cancer, and it is very important not to smoke and drink even after cancer treatment.
- What is the type of head and neck cancer?
▶Laryngeal cancer, which occurs in the holy age, is the most common among head and neck cancers. Unlike warts tissue caused by watery lumps or viruses, it is a hard, tightly packed lump of laryngeal cancer. Laryngeal cancer is the most common among head and neck cancers, but when it occurs, the voice changes immediately and the metastasis rate is slow, so treatment is also the best. If the voice change persists for more than six weeks, it is necessary to suspect laryngeal cancer.
Oral cancer is also included in head and neck cancer. Many people are most curious about whether stomatitis is an early symptom of oral cancer. Not all stomatitis leads to oral cancer, and if symptoms persist for more than 3 weeks, it is necessary to suspect.
There is also pharyngeal cancer. The pharynx is a space where people breathe (prayer) and eat (esophagus), and all other animals are separated, but only in humans, the airway and esophagus intersect in the pharynx. Because the pharynx is very sophisticatedly designed, when cancer occurs and is treated, its function decreases rapidly, making it very difficult to treat. The pharynx is largely classified into three parts according to its upper and lower height, while the nasopharynx and gingival are well treated, the lower subpharynx is the most difficult to treat among the cancers that occur in the face and neck.
Salivary gland cancer (salivary adenocarcinoma) is also a type of head and neck cancer. If a tumor develops in the salivary gland, about 80% is positive. However, cancer is increasingly likely to develop when the tumor is left untreated. Therefore, if a tumor develops in the salivary gland, it is recommended to remove it immediately.
-What are the characteristics of head and neck cancer?
▶ Head and neck cancer causes similar types of cancer because each tissue structure is composed of similar cells. Smoking and drinking do not increase the incidence rate in one place, but rather increase the incidence of cancer in most head and neck areas.
In addition, because it causes lymph node metastasis to the neck, it is not only a problem when treated cosmetically, but it is also easy to cause functional disorders. In particular, if early diagnosis is not received and cancer has progressed a lot, the function cannot be utilized in many cases. However, it is easier to diagnose and follow-up head and neck cancer than other cancers such as stomach cancer and lung cancer. Most of them are diagnosed early with the naked eye or with a simple endoscope, and follow-up observation is also possible.
-What is the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer?
▶If head and neck cancer is suspected, the shape is first examined through endoscopy and then a biopsy is performed to confirm the diagnosis. If confirmed, the scope is checked through CT or MRI and treatment is initiated. In the case of oral cancer, surgery is the primary, and cancer detected early can be treated alone with one treatment method.
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bellho@sportschosun.com
