Laryngeal Cancer Treatment Overview

Laryngeal cancer is one of the common malignancies in otolaryngology. For early-stage laryngeal cancer patients, surgical resection is the primary treatment modality. For those in intermediate to advanced stages, comprehensive treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy may be necessary.

Scenarios Without the Need for Radiotherapy

1. Stage I: This stage refers to the disease being confined to the primary site with no lymph node or distant metastasis. In mild cases with no significant symptoms or signs, a watch-and-wait approach with regular follow-ups is generally adopted.
2. Stage IIA: Involves spread to lymph nodes but no distant metastasis. The choice of treatment, such as surgery or radiotherapy, depends on specific circumstances.
3. Stage IIIB: Indicates spread to multiple lymph node regions but still confined to the neck. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy is typically recommended.

Scenarios Requiring Radiotherapy

1. Stage IV: When the disease has disseminated to various organs and tissues throughout the body, including the lungs, liver, bones, etc. Radiotherapy serves as a crucial adjunctive therapy to control disease progression, alleviate symptoms, and prolong survival. Its necessity is determined by a specialized physician based on individual patient circumstances. During radiotherapy, patients may experience adverse reactions like nausea, vomiting, and hair loss, necessitating close monitoring and prompt management. Additionally, radiotherapy should be integrated with other treatments like surgery and chemotherapy to achieve optimal outcomes.