What is Laryngeal Cancer?
Laryngeal cancer refers to cancer of the larynx. The larynx, which is more commonly known to many people as the voice box, is an organ in the throat that is encased in cartilage. It has three main functions in the body – producing sounds or a person’s voice, keeping the breathing passage open as needed, and closing it when swallowing to prevent choking. Laryngeal cancer develops when cancer cells begin to form on the tissue of the larynx. It is one of the most common forms of head and neck cancer.
Laryngeal Cancer Risk Factors
Men are four times more likely to develop laryngeal cancer than women. It is also more common in those of African-American descent as well as those who are over 65. While those risk factors cannot be reduced, several lifestyle choices can be reduced or eliminated to reduce the risk:
- Smoking
- Drinking Excessive Alcohol
- Working in an Environment that has Repeated Exposure to Harsh Chemicals
- Consuming an Unhealthy Diet
Symptoms of Laryngeal Cancer
Depending on where the cancerous cells are growing, will determine what kind of symptoms your loved one may experience. Any of these symptoms, when experienced for a long time without a known source, should be immediately checked out by a doctor, especially if your loved one has a lot of the risk factors that could lead to laryngeal cancer.
If the vocal cords have small growths, your loved one may notice his voice is hoarse and that he’s coughing a lot. If the cancerous cells are located above the vocal cords, his initial symptom might be pain that gets worse when he swallows. The pain can radiate to the ear, causing many to think it stems from there instead of the throat.
As the cancer develops and grows, other laryngeal cancer symptoms can include:
- Difficulty in swallowing that’s often accompanied by pain
- Severe hoarseness of voice that doesn’t get better
- Breathing difficulties that can include heavy or noisy breathing
- Ear pain
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Coughing up blood
- A lump on the neck
Unlike cancers that don’t produce many symptoms, most cases of laryngeal cancers are found because of the symptoms they cause. Don’t ignore any symptoms that linger and cannot be attributed to any other health issue your loved one currently has.
Preparing for Recovery from Laryngeal Cancer Treatment
Your loved one’s doctor will work closely with you and your family about the proper way to treat her laryngeal cancer. Whether it’s treated with radiation, chemotherapy, and/or surgery, her road to recovery will be long and she’ll need someone to help provide personal care at home. Your loved one may need help in preparing her food in a new manner so that she can still eat it. Having someone ready to help with meals as they provide personal care at home for your loved one is one of the best ways to ensure she continues to get the nutrition she needs while she’s recovering. Having a personal care at home attendant will mean that even if your loved one is still too tired to take care of personal chores while recovering, she’ll have someone there, ready to help so that she can rest as needed and recover more quickly.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Personal Care in Lewisville, TX, please contact the caring staff at Arcy Healthcare today at (469) 293-1515
Providing In-Home Healthcare Services in North Texas, including Dallas, Hurst, Grapevine, Keller, Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Denton, Flower Mound, Carrollton, Gainesville, and more.
My name is Jimmie Stapleton. I am the founder and CEO of Arcy Healthcare. Arcy Healthcare includes Arcy Hospice, Arcy Supportive Care, MaximaCare Home Health and Arcy at Home.
Arcy Hospice was opened in 2007 to provide care and support for individuals and families facing a life limiting illness. It was established after my wife Ellen, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, had completed her chemo and radiation therapies. At that time, things were looking positive, and we wanted to do something for our community that had been so supportive of our family during her treatments. Unfortunately, the cancer returned a few years later, and she subsequently passed away under our care in 2010.
In the years that followed, I began to see the need to provide the same level of excellent care to patients across the continuum of care. Therefore, we have added a home health division (MaximaCare Home Health), a palliative care division (Arcy Supportive Care), and a home care division, (Arcy at Home). With the addition of these divisions, we can meet most of the post-acute care needs for you and your family in your home.
I started Arcy Hospice with my wife as my motivation to provide exceptional care and support in the patient’s home, where they are surrounded by family and where they feel most comfortable. I’m proud to say that our staff provides some of the best in home care in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area.
Please let us know if we can enrich the quality of life for you or a loved one.
Sincerely,
Jimmie Stapleton – Founder and CEO
Arcy Healthcare
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