Laryngoscopy screening for laryngeal cancer is mainly applicable to the dynamic monitoring of people with high risk of laryngeal cancer, suspected presence of laryngeal cancer lesions, and people undergoing post-surgical review of laryngeal cancer. Generally, the interval of review varies according to the changes in the condition and the results of the examination, such as 1 month, 3 months, half a year, or 1 year, and so on. The examination can only detect lesions at an early stage and cannot prevent laryngeal cancer.
Laryngoscopy is an important method for morphologic diagnosis of laryngeal cancer, and the scope should include the root of tongue, lingual surface of epiglottis, margin of epiglottis, laryngeal surface of epiglottis, bilateral arytenoid epiglottic folds, aryepiglottic cartilage, inter-arytenoid region, ventricular band, laryngeal compartment, vocal cords, bilateral pyriform fossa, posterior region of the cricocele, posterior wall of hypopharynx, and movement of vocal cords, and so on. Note the presence of lumps, ulcers, and bulges, and any restriction of vocal cord movement.
Fiber (electronic) nasopharyngeal laryngoscopy, if combined with dynamic laryngoscopy, can observe the vibration of vocal cords, and if combined with narrow-band imaging technology, it can clearly show tiny lesions on mucosal surface, which is conducive to the discovery of early laryngeal cancer.
Common symptoms of laryngeal cancer are hoarseness, cough, pain, throat discomfort, foreign body sensation, bloody sputum or hemoptysis, and some patients may suffer from choking on food, dyspnea, dysphagia, and metastasis or huge cancer can also be found in the neck mass.
It should be noted that the examination can only detect lesions at an early stage, but not prevent laryngeal cancer. In daily life, one should avoid smoking and inhaling irritating gases, and have a regular routine. If you feel unwell, consult a doctor promptly.
People with family history of laryngeal cancer and those who are suspected of having laryngeal cancer, if they find the above discomfort or abnormal features in the previous examination, they can follow the doctor’s instructions to have a review in due course, with a common interval of 3 months to half a year.
For postoperative laryngeal cancer patients, the review time in the first year after surgery usually ranges from 1 month, 3 months, half a year or 1 year or 1 year, and the specific requirements should follow the recommendations given by the surgeon in conjunction with the results of the review.