Stages of Cancer of Larynx or Throat Cancer & Spread/Metastasis

Stages of Cancer of Larynx or Throat Cancer & Spread/Metastasis

Cancer cells never restrict themselves to one particular area, they tend to divide, proliferate and spread to neighboring areas they may even travel to far and distant places! This is termed metastasis. Depending on the spread of the disease clinical staging of the Cancer of Larynx or throat cancer is done. Stage I disease is usually confined within the Larynx itself. Stage II involves spread to adjacent structures. Stage III to Lymph Nodes and stage IV to distant organs.

Pathological grading divides the disease into three grades too:

Grade 1 is low whereas grade 3 is disease of high malignant potential. Grade 2 is an intermediate disease. Grade 1 spreads slowly as cells are not highly malignant whereas grade 3 spreads fast.

Spread of the cancer can be by different routes:

Tissue: The cancer starts to invade the adjacent neighboring normal areas in the neck.

Lymphatic system: Lymph vessels (these are tubes that carry lymph and white blood cells) to other parts of the body may serve as carriers of cancer cells.

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Blood: Cancer cells invade veins, capillaries and reach different areas.

Organs like lungs may even become the destination for these cells. Hence come the importance of chest x-rays. The term used for involvement of distant organs and tissues is ‘secondary tumour’. This happens in the advanced stages of a cancer. Once this happens the disease becomes advanced and is called stage IV disease.(3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Laryngeal (Larynx) Cancer

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Common Symptoms of Laryngeal or Voice Box Cancer

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