Hi my name is (anonymous) im a 32 year old male could you plese help answer my questions.This January I found out I have a squamous cell type cancer they removed one vocal cord and gave me 5 weeks of Radiation I have been a non smoker all my life.The cancer is T1 N0 M0.My questions are What is the worst type of cancer cell types to have and is it true that many laryngeal cancer come back and could you please tell me the 10 year survival rates for this type of cancer .I thank you very much.
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The vast majority of cancers affecting the larynx, as well as those affecting the head and neck in general, are known as squamous cell carcinomas. There are many factors that affect prognosis including TNM stage, cellular differentiation, co-existent health problems, etc. The biologic behavior (or aggressiveness) of such cancers is the subject of considerable research particularly at the molecular level, so that genetic or cellular factors responsible for the growth and spread of cancers can be identified and ultimately so that treatments can be designed to attack those factors selectively while avoiding injury to normal cells.
Currently the single best prognosticator is the TNM stage. The T stands for tumor characteristics - some cancers are best characterized by size, others by location, and others by impairment of function. In larynx cancer, for example, a T1 tumor is confined to one vocal cord which is normally mobile. The N stands for involvement of adjacent lymph nodes in the neck - an N0 neck has no palpable lymph nodes. The M stands for distant metastasis. The more common sites for distant metastasis in larynx cancer would be lung and liver. The cancer is then categorized into stages 1 through 4 with stage 4 cancers being the most advanced and generally representing cancers that have spread well beyond the region. In larynx cancer, the two most important factors which affect prognosis are the mobility of the vocal cord and the presence of metastatic lymph nodes in the neck.
For a stage 1 cancer of the vocal cord such as you have described the outlook is very favorable. Cures are generally measured by 3-year survival rates and high cure rates around 90% can be achieved by single modality treatment, either surgery alone or radiation therapy alone. In most cases radiation therapy is the preferred primary therapy since it should be associated with relatively little change in the voice.
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Steve Dankle, MD
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Milwaukee, Wis
NOTICE: OFCN is not engaged in the rendering of professional medical services. The information contained on this system or any other OFCN system should not supplant individual professional consultation. It is offered exclusively as a community education service. Advice on individual problems must be obtained directly from a professional.
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