Making the Diagnosis
If cancer is suspected, your doctor will first take a medical history, including
information about smoking and alcohol use. It's important to mention past
use or exposure even if there's none at the present. After a physical exam,
the following tests may be performed:
- laryngoscopy - using a flexible tube (fiberoptic scope), the larynx,
mouth, tongue, and neck are checked for tumors or polyps
- computed tomography (CT) imaging of the neck, a type of scan that
allows the doctors to see any abnormalities
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), another type of scan that can detect
abnormalities in the neck
- chest X-ray - this checks for any tumors that may have spread
into the lungs
- biopsy - by removing a small section of tissue, a tumor can be examined
for any signs of cancer. The tissue is taken either during an endoscopy, while
the person is under a general anesthetic, or through a fine needle that is
inserted into the neck.
Diagnosis also includes determining the stage of the cancer in order to identify how advanced it
is.
- Stage 0: The cancer has not invaded the tissue and can be removed
from the vocal cords without removing any tissue.
- Stages 1 and 2: The cancer has invaded the local tissue but is still
in the body area where it started.
- Stages 3 and 4: The cancer has invaded beyond the local tissue and
has probably spread (metastasis) to local lymph nodes, or even more
distant sites elsewhere in the body.
- Recurrent: The cancer has returned after initial treatment.