The risk is proportional to the amount of exposure to tobacco smoke. Smokers who also drink alcohol heavily are at an increased risk for the development of laryngeal cancer. Smokers can markedly reduce their risk of cancer by quitting. Laryngeal cancer may affect the function of the larynx, which is used to talk, swallow, and breath. Therefore symptoms may include hoarse voice or other voice changes, difficulty swallowing, throat pain, lump in the throat, persistent coughing, difficulty breathing, and noisy breathing.
Symptoms depend on the location of the tumor.
These symptoms also may be present in other less serious illnesses, therefore it is important to have them evaluated by a physician. Treatment choices for laryngeal cancer can be complicated due to the various treatment options available. Usually, the primary goal in treatment of laryngeal cancer is to totally eliminate the cancer, while the second goal is preservation of voice. However, some patients will express that they would rather sacrifice the probability of their cure rate in order to increase their probability for voice preservation. Loss of voice is not only a complication of the treatment but can also be difficult socially.