management
Last reviewed 01/2018
Early detection is vital to prognosis. Any patient with persistent hoarsenss warrants an immediate and thorough ENT examination.
Direct laryngoscopy is performed to assess the mobility of the vocal cords and to look for spread to the supraglottis or subglottis.
Radiotherapy is given to the majority of tumours. It may achieve a 95% cure rate with T1 lesions and is beneficial in most cases. The neck should be irradiated in patients with nodal disease.
Primary surgery may be offered for advanced disease.
Total laryngectomy and a radical neck dissection is usually performed in cases of residual or recurrent disease.