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Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Treatment For Laryngeal Cancer
Get a dental checkup before starting treatment
Some treatments for laryngeal cancer may make your mouth sensitive and put you at a higher risk of infection. It’s important to have a dental exam and get any necessary dental work done before you start treatment.
Radiation therapy
External beam radiation therapy is the most common treatment for laryngeal cancer. A machine is used to carefully aim a beam of radiation at the tumour. The radiation damages the cells in the path of the beam – normal cells as well as cancer cells.
Small tumours may be cured by treating them with radiation only. For larger tumours, external radiation is often used together with chemotherapy.
You may have a mask made especially for you before radiation therapy. This custom-made mask is worn for the treatment planning and for all radiation treatments. The mask helps make sure you’re in the exact same position for every treatment and helps keep your head and neck from moving during treatment.
Radiation therapy works better if you avoid tobacco
To get the most out of radiation treatment for laryngeal cancer, experts recommend that you:
● Quit smoking, if you’re a smoker.
● Avoid second-hand smoke.
Side effects of radiation will be different depending on what part of the head or neck receives the radiation. You may feel more tired than usual or notice changes to the skin (it may be red or tender) where the treatment was given.
Radiation for laryngeal cancer may irritate your mouth and throat, making them dry and sore. This can make it difficult to swallow. If your throat becomes too sore for you to eat or you lose too much weight, you may need a feeding tube until you are able to eat and drink on your own. The feeding tube is placed in your nose or your stomach to give you liquids and nutrients. It’s usually temporary.
You may also notice changes to your sense of taste and smell. These side effects are a result of damage to normal cells. The side effects will usually go away when treatment is over and the normal cells repair themselves. A few side effects, such as a dry mouth, can last a long time.
Side effects of radiation therapy
Chemotherapy
For laryngeal cancer, chemotherapy is most commonly used with radiation therapy for large tumours and tumours that have spread to the lymph nodes.
Chemotherapy may be given as pills or by injection. Chemotherapy drugs interfere with the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread, but they also damage healthy cells. Although healthy cells can recover over time, you may experience side effects from your treatment like nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, hair loss and an increased risk of infection.
Side effects of chemotherapy
Surgery
A decision to have surgery depends on the size of the tumour and where it is. During the operation, all or part of the tumour and some healthy tissue around the tumour are removed. Surgery is done under general anesthetic (you will be unconscious) and you will stay in the hospital for several days after the surgery. After surgery, you may have some pain or weakness. These side effects are temporary, and can be controlled.
An operation to remove all or part of the larynx is called a laryngectomy. The surgeon may also remove nearby lymph nodes in the neck. Sometimes, the thyroid gland is also removed.
For a partial laryngectomy, the surgeon removes the part of the larynx affected by the tumour. Usually one or both of the vocal cords are left in so that you can still speak. Your voice may be different than it was before.
For a total laryngectomy, the surgeon removes the entire larynx. A tracheostomy is done at the same time to create an opening in the lower part of the neck for you to breathe through. Air enters and leaves the windpipe and the lungs through the hole (called a stoma). This opening is permanent. After a total laryngectomy, you will have to learn to speak in a different way.
For the first few days after surgery you will be given liquids through an intravenous (IV) drip into a vein. You may also need a feeding tube in your nose or your abdomen to give you liquids and nutrients until you are able to eat and drink on your own.
It’s important to discuss your operation with your surgical team before the surgery so that you know what to expect and how it will affect you. If both your vocal cords are to be removed, speech pathologist will talk to you before the operation about the different ways you can learn to speak again.
Laser surgery
Laser surgery uses an intense, narrow beam of light to remove cancerous tissue with little or no damage to surrounding healthy tissue. It is usually done under general anesthetic. Laser surgery may be used for very small laryngeal tumours. Laser surgery may not be available at all cancer centres or hospitals.
Relieving pain
Learn more about ways to manage and control your pain and discomfort, side effects and stress when you are having cancer treatments.
Coping with cancer
Whether you are newly diagnosed, in active treatment, or are caring for someone with cancer, you will probably need to deal with many day-to-day issues, make tough decisions, and cope with a range of emotions.
Some treatments for laryngeal cancer may make your mouth sensitive and put you at a higher risk of infection. It’s important to have a dental exam and get any necessary dental work done before you start treatment.
Radiation therapy
External beam radiation therapy is the most common treatment for laryngeal cancer. A machine is used to carefully aim a beam of radiation at the tumour. The radiation damages the cells in the path of the beam – normal cells as well as cancer cells.
Small tumours may be cured by treating them with radiation only. For larger tumours, external radiation is often used together with chemotherapy.
You may have a mask made especially for you before radiation therapy. This custom-made mask is worn for the treatment planning and for all radiation treatments. The mask helps make sure you’re in the exact same position for every treatment and helps keep your head and neck from moving during treatment.
Radiation therapy works better if you avoid tobacco
To get the most out of radiation treatment for laryngeal cancer, experts recommend that you:
● Quit smoking, if you’re a smoker.
● Avoid second-hand smoke.
Side effects of radiation will be different depending on what part of the head or neck receives the radiation. You may feel more tired than usual or notice changes to the skin (it may be red or tender) where the treatment was given.
Radiation for laryngeal cancer may irritate your mouth and throat, making them dry and sore. This can make it difficult to swallow. If your throat becomes too sore for you to eat or you lose too much weight, you may need a feeding tube until you are able to eat and drink on your own. The feeding tube is placed in your nose or your stomach to give you liquids and nutrients. It’s usually temporary.
You may also notice changes to your sense of taste and smell. These side effects are a result of damage to normal cells. The side effects will usually go away when treatment is over and the normal cells repair themselves. A few side effects, such as a dry mouth, can last a long time.
Side effects of radiation therapy
Chemotherapy
For laryngeal cancer, chemotherapy is most commonly used with radiation therapy for large tumours and tumours that have spread to the lymph nodes.
Chemotherapy may be given as pills or by injection. Chemotherapy drugs interfere with the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread, but they also damage healthy cells. Although healthy cells can recover over time, you may experience side effects from your treatment like nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, hair loss and an increased risk of infection.
Side effects of chemotherapy
Surgery
A decision to have surgery depends on the size of the tumour and where it is. During the operation, all or part of the tumour and some healthy tissue around the tumour are removed. Surgery is done under general anesthetic (you will be unconscious) and you will stay in the hospital for several days after the surgery. After surgery, you may have some pain or weakness. These side effects are temporary, and can be controlled.
An operation to remove all or part of the larynx is called a laryngectomy. The surgeon may also remove nearby lymph nodes in the neck. Sometimes, the thyroid gland is also removed.
For a partial laryngectomy, the surgeon removes the part of the larynx affected by the tumour. Usually one or both of the vocal cords are left in so that you can still speak. Your voice may be different than it was before.
For a total laryngectomy, the surgeon removes the entire larynx. A tracheostomy is done at the same time to create an opening in the lower part of the neck for you to breathe through. Air enters and leaves the windpipe and the lungs through the hole (called a stoma). This opening is permanent. After a total laryngectomy, you will have to learn to speak in a different way.
For the first few days after surgery you will be given liquids through an intravenous (IV) drip into a vein. You may also need a feeding tube in your nose or your abdomen to give you liquids and nutrients until you are able to eat and drink on your own.
It’s important to discuss your operation with your surgical team before the surgery so that you know what to expect and how it will affect you. If both your vocal cords are to be removed, speech pathologist will talk to you before the operation about the different ways you can learn to speak again.
Laser surgery
Laser surgery uses an intense, narrow beam of light to remove cancerous tissue with little or no damage to surrounding healthy tissue. It is usually done under general anesthetic. Laser surgery may be used for very small laryngeal tumours. Laser surgery may not be available at all cancer centres or hospitals.
Relieving pain
Learn more about ways to manage and control your pain and discomfort, side effects and stress when you are having cancer treatments.
Coping with cancer
Whether you are newly diagnosed, in active treatment, or are caring for someone with cancer, you will probably need to deal with many day-to-day issues, make tough decisions, and cope with a range of emotions.
What is Laryngeal Cancer?
Laryngeal cancer starts in the cells that line the larynx (which is sometimes called the voice box). The larynx is a tube, about 5 cm long, that connects the back of the throat to the trachea (also called the windpipe). Two bands of muscle in the middle of the larynx – the vocal cords – make the sound of your voice. The front of the larynx is protected by thyroid cartilage, a layer of tough, flexible tissue (sometimes called the Adam’s apple).The larynx plays an important role in breathing, swallowing and talking.
Breathing: As you breathe in, your vocal cords open and air passes from the back of your throat through the larynx down the windpipe to your lungs.
Swallowing: At the top of the larynx is a flap. When you swallow, this flap covers the opening of the larynx to keep food out of your lungs. Instead, the food moves through the esophagus to the stomach.
Talking: The sound of your voice is made in the larynx. When you talk, the vocal cords tighten and move closer together. The air that you breathe out is forced through the vocal cords, making them vibrate. You control the amount of air passing through the cords to speak, sing or shout. Your tongue, lips and teeth shape the sound into words.
Laryngeal cancer can start anywhere in the larynx, but it most often begins in the middle part of the larynx where the vocal cords are found. Cancers that start below the vocal cords are less common.
Mesothelioma Causes
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that can develop in the membrane that lines the lungs, called the mesothelium.Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure which occurs when fibers are inhaled or ingested into the body and become lodged in body cavities, causing inflammation or infection. Asbestos is a naturally-occurring fibrous substance that was widely used in the 20th century in a number of different industries. When the public became aware of the hazards associated with the mineral, warnings were issued in the mid-1970s and use of the product began to decline.
More than 30 percent of those diagnosed with mesothelioma are veterans
What is Mesothelioma ?
MesotheliomaMesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that typically affects the lining of the lungs, heart and abdomen. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the United States, comprising around 3 percent of all cancer diagnoses. This cancer occurs about four times more frequently in men than in women and all forms of mesothelioma, except for benign mesothelioma, are invariably fatal.
The life expectancy for mesothelioma patients is generally reported as less than one year following diagnosis, however a patient’s prognosis is affected by numerous factors including how early the cancer is diagnosed and how aggressively it is treated.
The life expectancy for mesothelioma patients is generally reported as less than one year following diagnosis, however a patient’s prognosis is affected by numerous factors including how early the cancer is diagnosed and how aggressively it is treated.
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