A Study on the Sympotomatology of the Carcinoma of the Larynx and Identification of an index of its early Symptoms for its early Detection

摘要

The larynx is the commonest site in the head and neck for tumours. As the disease most frequently affects the glottis, hoarseness is the commonest laryngeal symptom. It needs only a small minor mucosal abnormality to cause hoarseness, so that in theory all glottic tumours should be detected early. Stridor or obstruction to breathing is less common but when present, it is frequently seen in cases of supraglottic and subglottic carcinomas. The diagnosis is confirmed by biopsy under direct vision with a rigid laryngoscope (forrest et al, 1995). Cancer is fatal disease and for practical purposes, all talk about its cure is futile unless and until the salvage rate is increased by all available means at our disposal.