1. It is the most common cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract.
Laryngel Cancer
It is the most common cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract.

2. Subtypes Glottic Cancer: 59% Supraglottic Cancer: 40%
Subglottic Cancer: 1%
Most subglottic masses are extension from glottic carcinomas

3. Risk Factors

4. Etiology
The incidence of laryngeal tumors is closely correlated with smoking, as head and neck tumors occur 6 times more often among cigarette smokers than among nonsmokers.
The age-standardized risk of mortality from laryngeal cancer appears to have a linear relationship with increasing cigarette consumption.

5. Etiology
Death from laryngeal cancer is 20 times more likely for the heaviest smokers than for nonsmokers.
The use of unfiltered cigarettes or dark, air-cured tobacco is associated with further increases in risk.

6. Risk Factors<<<
Although alcohol is a less potent carcinogen than tobacco, alcohol consumption is a risk factor for laryngeal tumors.
In individuals who use both tobacco and alcohol, these risk factors appear to be synergistic, and they result in a multiplicative increase in the risk of developing laryngeal cancer.

7. Risk Factors Human Papilloma Virus 16 &18 Chronic Gastric Reflux
Occupational exposures
Prior history of head and neck irradiation

8. Mortality/Morbidity
The prognosis for small laryngeal cancers that do not have lymph node metastases is good, with cure rates of 75-95%, depending on the site, the size of the tumor, and the extent of infiltration.
Advanced disease has a worse prognosis.
Supraglottic cancers usually manifest late and have a poorer prognosis.

9. Sex & Age Incidence
In the 1950s, the male-to-female ratio in patients with laryngeal cancer was 15:1.
This number had changed to 5:1 by the year 2000, and the proportion of women afflicted by the disease is projected to increase in years to come.
These changes are likely a reflection of shifts in smoking patterns, with women smoking more in recent years.
Laryngeal cancer most commonly affects men middle-aged or older. The peak incidence is in those aged years.

10. Histological Types
85-95% of laryngeal tumors are squamous cell carcinoma
Histologic type linked to tobacco and alcohol abuse
Characterized by epithelial nests surrounded by inflammatory stroma
Keratin Pearls are pathognomonic

11. Histological Types Verrucous Carcinoma Fibrosarcoma Chondrosarcoma
Minor salivary carcinoma
Adenocarcinoma
Oat cell carcinoma
Giant cell and Spindle cell carcinoma

12. Anatomy

13. The supraglottic larynx
It consists of epiglottis, false vocal cords, ventricles, aryepiglottic folds, and arytenoids

14. The glottic larynx
It consists of the true vocal cords and anterior commissure and posterior commissure

15. The subglottic larynx
It consists of the region between the vocal cords and the trachea.

16. Pre-epiglottic fat space
The pre-epiglottic fat is located in the anterior and lateral aspects of the larynx and is often invaded by advanced cancers.

17. Lymphatics
The first-echelon lymphatics for the supraglottic larynx are the subdigastric nodes and the middle anterior cervical nodes and the second-echelon lymphatics are the lower anterior cervical nodes
The first-echelon lymphatics for the subglottic larynx are the Delphian node, the lower anterior cervical nodes and paratracheal nodes, and the supraclavicular nodes, and the second-echelon lymphatics are the mediastinal nodes.
Glottic and subglottic tumors metastasize to ipsilateral lymph nodes, but supraglottic tumors often spread to nodes on both sides of the neck.

18. In the supraglottis, the T stages are as follows
T1: Tumor limited to 1 subsite of the supraglottis with normal vocal cord mobility
T2: Tumor invasion of the mucosa of more than 1 adjacent subsite of the supraglottis or glottis or of a region outside the supraglottis , without fixation of the larynx
T3: Tumor limited to the larynx with vocal cord fixation and/or invasion of any of the postcricoid area or pre-epiglottic tissues
T4: Tumor invasion through the thyroid cartilage and/or extension into

19. In the glottis, the T stages are as follows:
T1: Tumor limited to the vocal cord with normal mobility
T2: Tumor extension to the supraglottis and/or subglottis and/or impaired vocal cord mobility
T3: Tumor limited to the larynx with vocal cord fixation
T4: Tumor invasion through the thyroid cartilage and/or other tissues beyond the larynx .

20. In the subglottis the T stages are as follows
T1: Tumor limited to the subglottis
T2: Tumor extension to a vocal cord with normal or impaired mobility
T3: Tumor limited to the larynx with vocal cord fixation
T4: Tumor invasion through cricoid or thyroid cartilage and/or extension to other tissues beyond the larynx

21. Staging- Nodes N0 No cervical lymph nodes positive N1
Single ipsilateral lymph node ≤ 3cm
N2a
Single ipsilateral node > 3cm and ≤6cm
N2b
Multiple ipsilateral lymph nodes, each ≤ 6cm
N2c
Bilateral or contralateral lymph nodes, each ≤6cm N3
Single or multiple lymph nodes > 6cm

22. Supraglottic carcinomas
The epiglottis is the most frequent location for cancers that arise in the supraglottic larynx. These lesions are often exophytic and circumferential masses
Tumors of the aryepiglottic fold are typically exophytic lesions that, when detected early, are confined laterally along the aryepiglottic fold.
Advanced lesions may extend laterally to involve the adjacent wall of the pyriform sinus or medially to invade the epiglottis.

23. Supraglottic carcinomas
Squamous cell cancers that arise from the false vocal cords and laryngeal ventricle tend to be ulcerative and infiltrative with a limited exophytic component. Deep invasion by such tumors results in their access to the paraglottic space, and this may lead to fixation of the supraglottic larynx.
Because of their close proximity, these tumors may extend inferiorly to involve the true vocal cords.

24. Glottic carcinomas
The true vocal cords are the most common site of laryngeal carcinomas; the ratio of glottic carcinomas to supraglottic carcinomas is approximately 3:1.
The anterior portion of the true vocal cord is the most common location of squamous cell cancer, with most lesions occurring along the free margin of the vocal cord.

25. Glottic carcinomas
Anteriorly, the tumor may extend to anterior commissure, where it may involve the contralateral true vocal cord.
The likelihood of nodal involvement associated with glottic carcinomas depends on the stage of the tumor. The incidence of early T1 lesions has been reported to be as low as 2%. This figure increases to approximately 20% for T3 and T4 lesions.

26. Subglottic carcinomas
Subglottic carcinomas are rare and account for only 5% of all laryngeal carcinomas.
When present, these lesions are characteristically circumferential and often extend to involve the undersurface of the true vocal cords
They have a tendency for early invasion of the cricoid cartilage and extension through the cricothyroid membrane.

27. Presentation Hoarseness Most common symptom
Small irregularities in the vocal fold result in voice changes
Changes of voice in patients with chronic hoarseness from tobacco and alcohol can be difficult to appreciate

28. Presentation Other symptoms include: Dysphagia Hemoptysis Throat pain
Ear pain
Airway compromise
Aspiration
Neck mass

29. Presentation
Patients presenting with hoarseness should undergo an indirect mirror exam and/or flexible laryngoscope evaluation
Malignant lesions can appear as friable, fungating, ulcerative masses or be as subtle as changes in mucosal color

30. Presentation
Good neck exam looking for cervical lymphadenopathy and broadening of the laryngeal prominence is required
The base of the tongue should be palpated for masses as well
Restricted laryngeal crepitus may be a sign of post cricoid or retropharyngeal invasion

31. Work up Biopsy is required for diagnosis
Performed in OR with patient under anesthesia
Other benign possibilities for laryngeal lesions include: Vocal cord nodules or polyps, papillomatosis, granulomas, granular cell neoplasms, sarcoidosis, Wegner’s granulomatosis

32. Work up Other potential modalities: Direct laryngoscopy Bronchoscopy
Esophagoscopy
Chest X-ray
CT or MRI
Liver function tests with or without US
PET ?

34. Treatment
Premalignant lesions or Carcinoma in situ can be treated by surgical stripping of the entire lesion
CO2 laser can be used to accomplish this but makes accurate review of margins difficult

35. Treatment
Early stage (T1 and T2) can be treated with radiotherapy or surgery alone, both offer the 85-95% cure rate.
Surgery has a shorter treatment period, saves radiation for recurrence, but may have worse voice outcomes
Radiotherapy is given for 6-7 weeks, avoids surgical risks but has own complications

36. Treatment XRT complications include: Mucositis Odynophagia
Laryngeal edema
Xerostomia
Stricture and fibrosis
Radionecrosis
Hypothyroidism

37. Treatment
Advanced stage lesions often receive surgery with adjuvant radiation
Most T3 and T4 lesions require a total laryngectomy
Some small T3 and lesser sized tumors can be treated with partial larygectomy

38. Treatment
Chemotherapy can be used in addition to irradiation in advanced stage cancers
Two agents used are Cisplatinum and 5-flourouracil
Cisplatin thought to sensitize cancer cells to XRT enhancing its effectiveness when used concurrently.

39. Treatment
Modified or radical neck dissections are indicated in the presence of nodal disease
Neck dissections may be performed in patients with supra or subglottic T2 tumors even in the absence of nodal disease
N0 necks can have a selective dissection sparing the SCM, IJ, and XI
N1 necks usually have a modified dissection of levels II-IV

40. Supraglottic laryngectomy
T1,2, or 3 if only by preepiglottic space invasion
Mobile cords
No anterior commissure involvement
FEV1 >50%
No tongue base disease past circumvallate papillae
Apex of pyriform sinus not invloved

41. Total Larygectomy Indications: T3 or T4 unfit for partial
Extensive involvement of thyroid and cricoid cartilages
Invasion of neck soft tissues
Tongue base involvement beyond circumvallate papillae

42. Total Laryngectomy