Supraglottic cancer can be caused by excessive alcohol and tobacco use. Find out how to recognize the symptoms and get treatment for this condition today.
Causes of Supraglottic Cancer
There is no single, definitive cause of supraglottic cancer. It’s a combination of genetics and environmental factors. However, listed below are a few known risk factors for developing supraglottic cancer. The most common risk factor by far is the use of tobacco, and the smoking of tobacco in particular. Excessive alcohol consumption also contributes to the risk of developing these head and neck cancers.
Tobacco
Smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes and using chewing tobacco greatly increase the chance of getting a laryngeal cancer.
Alcohol
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol is also closely tied to supraglottic cancer. Moreover, both smoking and drinking heavily more than doubles this cancer risk.
Radiation Exposure
Past exposure to radiation as part of a natural disaster, treatment for another disease, or even in the workplace can increase the chances of some cancers of the larynx.
Other Factors Associated with Laryngeal Cancer
- Smoking marijuana.
- Significant second-hand smoke.
- Long-term exposure to metal, plastics, paint, wood dust, and asbestos at work.
- Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (RRP)
This is an HPV-related condition that causes recurrent papilloma growth in the lining of the larynx or lower airway. This condition can affect children or adults. Frequent surgeries may be necessary to prevent the papillomas from blocking the airway. Rarely, some patients with RRP may eventually develop squamous cell carcinoma in any site of papilloma growth. - Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
GERD has been associated with a higher risk of laryngeal cancer; however, this risk increase is modest and further research is needed on this relationship.
Signs & Symptoms of Supraglottic Cancer
Some supraglottic cancers may be present for a while before they start causing symptoms, depending on where they are in the supraglottis. The most common symptoms that eventually develop include:
- Difficulty with Swallowing (Dysphagia)
This can occur when a tumor gets in the way of swallowing, making it difficult for food to pass. This usually presents as difficulty swallowing solid foods, but eventually progresses to difficulty with liquids if the tumor continues to grow. - Pain with Swallowing (Odynophagia)
As tumors grow, they can eventually cause throat pain. This pain is usually worse with swallowing. - Ear Pain
Ear pain, (particularly on one side, with no other ear problems)also known as otalgia, can occur because the nerves of the throat reach the brain through the same pathway as one of the nerves in the ear. This means the brain might interpret a pain in the throat as coming from the ear, called referred pain. Unexplained ear pain that doesn’t go away should be evaluated by a specialist. It is important to understand that most causes of ear pain are due to simple problems such as middle ear infection, dysfunction of the Eustachian tube, or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, rather than a cancer. - A lump in the neck: This is a symptom of laryngeal cancer that occurs if it has spread to lymph nodes in the neck. This can sometimes be the first symptom that brings a patient to the doctor. If a patient has a neck mass and their doctor is concerned that it represents cancer spread from somewhere else, he or she will examine all of the potential sites in the mouth and throat, including the larynx.
Other Possible Symptoms
- A hoarse or breathy voice: some patients may have the voice quality commonly described as a “hot potato voice.”
- Weight loss.
- Feeling like there’s something stuck in the throat.
- Chronic cough.
- Bleeding while coughing.
- Coughing every time liquids are ingested.
- Difficult or noisy breathing.
It is important to note a patient could have one or more of these symptoms but NOT have supraglottic cancer. There are several non-cancerous causes of the same symptoms. That’s why it’s especially important to seek medical advice from a specialist.
