Cancer - throat or larynx
Alternative Names
Vocal cord cancer; Throat cancer; Laryngeal cancer; Cancer of the glottisSymptoms
- Abnormal (high-pitched) breathing sounds
- Cough
- Coughing up blood
- Difficulty swallowing
- Hoarseness that does not resolve in 1 to 2 weeks
- Neck pain
- Sore throat that does not resolve in 1 to 2 weeks, even with antibiotics
- Swelling in the neck
- Unintentional weight loss
Exams and Tests
An examination of the neck and throat may show cancer of the throat. The sputum (what is coughed up) may appear bloody. A lump may appear on the outside of the neck. A laryngoscopy, which is examination by use of a tube with a small lighted camera (laryngoscope), allows the physician to look into the mouth and down the throat to see the tumor.
A neck or cranial CT scan or cranial MRI may show throat cancer. These tests will also help determine if the cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the neck.
Biopsy and analysis of tissues that appear abnormal may confirm the presence of a cancerous tumor.
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