Laryngeal cancer
Alerts and Notices
Synopsis

Signs and symptoms of laryngeal cancer include:
- Hoarseness
- Dysphagia
- Dysphonia / aphonia
- Dyspnea
- Sore throat
- Globus sensation
- Cachexia
- Halitosis
- Neck mass
- Blood-tinged sputum
- Otalgia
- Stridor
- Middle ear effusion
Laryngeal cancer can be staged using the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM (tumor, node, metastasis) system, based on the extent of the main tumor, the spread to nearby lymph nodes, and metastasis to distant sites. The staging system can be found at https://www.cancer.org/cancer/laryngeal-and-hypopharyngeal-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/staging.html.
Immunocompromised Patient Considerations:
Immunocompromised patients will generally have more aggressive malignancies even in the absence of classic risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol use.
Codes
ICD10CM:C32.9 – Malignant neoplasm of larynx, unspecified
SNOMEDCT:
363429002 – Malignant tumor of larynx
Look For
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Diagnostic Pearls
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Differential Diagnosis & Pitfalls
- Laryngitis
- Sarcoidosis
- Amyloidosis (see AA amyloidosis and AL amyloidosis)
- Reinke's edema
- Benign vocal cord lesion
- Tuberculosis
- Lymphoma
- Granulomatosis with polyangiitis
Best Tests
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Management Pearls
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Therapy
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References
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Last Reviewed:09/05/2019
Last Updated:12/07/2021
Last Updated:12/07/2021