Lawrence Chow / ENT Doctor
Minimally Invasive Tympanoplasty: An Expert Overview by Dr. Chow Chun-Kuen
Minimally Invasive Tympanoplasty: An Expert Overview by Dr. Chow Chun-kuen
The following content is excerpted from an interview with Hong Kong ENT specialist, Dr. Chow Chun-Kuen, explaining the principles and benefits of minimally invasive tympanoplasty.
Various conditions can lead to tympanic membrane (eardrum) damage, such as excessive force during ear cleaning or chronic otitis media. If not properly managed, these issues may result in eardrum perforation and potential hearing loss. Traditional eardrum repair procedures are often highly invasive and entail prolonged recovery times. However, a more straightforward minimally invasive tympanoplasty is now available; patients can undergo this procedure under local anesthesia and be discharged on the same day. Remarkably, even those with decades-old eardrum damage can experience significant auditory improvements post-surgery.
Eardrum perforations can cause symptoms like pus discharge from the ear, tinnitus (hearing noise), and inexplicable nasal airflow during exhalation—symptoms many patients tend to neglect. In 1999, Dr. Chow pioneered a simplified technique for eardrum repair using a minimally invasive approach through the outer ear canal to harvest a small section of muscle membrane for repairing the damaged eardrum.
Procedure Duration Approximately 45 Minutes
Patients undergo local anesthesia for this procedure which takes roughly 30 to 45 minutes to complete. The incision is minimal and located within the inner ear without requiring sutures as it naturally heals within two days post-operation—a stark contrast to conventional methods that involve making incisions behind the ear up to five centimeters long needing ten to twenty stitches along with general anesthesia and hospitalization for at least two days.
A Case Study
Mr. Cheung, who served in an executive role, encountered severe bilateral middle-ear infection due to polluted water exposure while swimming years ago coupled with improper use of over-the-counter ear drops causing both his eardrums’ rupture. After undergoing traditional surgery on his left ear twenty-five years ago where he recovered successfully; three years prior faced recurrent infections affecting his right ear leading him difficulty concentrating at work compounded by strenuous efforts needed for listening exacerbating fatigue levels significantly until opting for this advanced surgical method has progressively restored his hearing capacities encompassing perceiving stereo sounds too.
Absence of Adverse Reactions
Accordingly noted by Dr. Chow majority seek tympanoplastic owing chronic otitis media progressing acute states involving pus generation alongside occasional accidental puncture treatment inadequacy reaches beyond normal self-healing approximately spanning few months necessitating operative intervention promptly warned ignoring latent risks deepening untreated paths possibly culminating continuous vertigo episodes thus progressive deterioration optionally avoidable through prompt procedural recourses ensuring preserving optimized auditory functions future devoid adverse postoperative implications whatsoever additional constraints comprising extensive miniaturized perforations width narrowness preclude eligibility newer operant techniques deployed herein.
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Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
ENT Head and Neck Surgery Centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
https://www.hkentspecialist.hk
Patient’s Experience with Balloon Dilation of the Eustachian Tube
Eustachian tube dysfunction seriously affects the hearing of patients. Balloon dilation of the Eustachian tube is currently a widely respected treatment method. What are its advantages? What are the comments between doctors and patients?
This article is an interview with patients and doctors on this surgery with citations for your reference.
Doctor : The tube dysfunction is a problem that can affect the entire population. I think at some point everyone has experienced tube dysfunction as part of an infection and can therefore judge how it impairs upon both hearing and general well-being.
Patient : I constantly had ear pressure issues. I felt that I couldn’t hear conversations properly. My personal impression was that my hearing had greatly deteriorated. In my job, I have to take care of a lot of people, and that was no longer possible. It was also not possible for me to balance the pressure in my ears on an aeroplane. That was particularly awful for me. In larger groups, I felt that I was no longer able to process what was going on around me or follow conversations in a restaurant, for example.
Doctor : Balloon tube dilation has been available for a few years. In this context, a small balloon is inserted via the nose into the tube ostium and then the tube.
Patient : The ENT doctor found out that I had a ventilation problem in the tube. It turned out to be chronic otitis. I was recommended to have a ventilation tube inserted, which was then carried out in the ENT practice. The ventilation tube failed to bring the desired results. The complaints did not go away and I could still hear very little.
Doctor : We have been performing tube dilation for a good year. We treated our first patient in September 2013 and have been able to help a large number of people using this method since then. During the operation, the catheter is placed in the tube via the nose and dilation is carried out at 10 bar pressure for 2 minutes. In our clinic, we perform tube dilation in patients who suffer from chronic middle ear diseases and have developed hearing loss, hoping to eliminate these symptoms and avoid ear surgery.
Patient : In the ENT clinic, Professor suggested expanding the tube with a balloon.
Doctor : The operation itself always takes place under general anaesthetic. Tube dilation is a low-risk procedure that may provoke bleeding in the nasal mucosa, but this can be resolved very easily. There are no serious risks to expect.
Patient : I was able to leave the clinic 24 hours after the operation, without pain, freed of my problems. I was able to resume work immediately.
Doctor : The follow-up inspection is carried out regularly at six to eight weeks. Post-operatively, patients are instructed to safeguard tube ventilation by performing the Valsalva maneuver 20 to 30 times daily. In the Valsalva maneuver, the patient tries to inflate the tube opening by building up pressure in the nasopharynx and thus forcing air into the middle ear areas. It looks like this. I seal my nose and with my mouth closed I increase the pressure until it arrives in the middle ear. This is easy for a person who does not have a tube dysfunction, but for people with chronic tube dysfunction it is sometimes impossible.
Patient : The clinic recommended that I use the Valsalva method Valsalva, which I perform several times a day, so I always ensure that the tube is open.
Doctor : It varies from patient to patient as to how quickly success is achieved. We have some patients where tube ventilation is immediately restored after surgery and who report that they can hear better on the day of the operation.
Patient : For me it was a total improvement in my quality of life. After the procedure I felt that I had been given a completely new quality of life with which I am very satisfied.
Doctor : We often get the feedback that the patients are happier again, more optimistic and not so caught up in their ear problem.
Patient : The surgery took place a year ago. I am still satisfied and free of all complaints.
Doctor : This form of treatment has become well established in adults in recent years. In the future, I think it will probably also be extended to children who also suffer from chronic tube dysfunction. I can imagine that children too will benefit greatly from tube dilation in the future.
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For details of our ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
ENT Head and Neck Surgery Centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
https://www.hkentspecialist.hk
Balloon Sinuplasty Procedure Performed In-Office
Balloon Sinuplasty is a new treatment for chronic sinusitis. Its basic principle is to place a balloon through a catheter at the opening of the sinus, and expand the opening through the balloon to facilitate sinus drainage. This article is an interview conducted by doctors for patients undergoing this surgery for your reference.
Doctor : A balloon sinuplasty procedure is an in-office procedure that we perform for patients that have either recurring sinusitis, chronic sinusitis, or recurring sinus headaches. It’s performed in the office as an outpatient awake with minimal to no recovery time. If an individual is having multiple sinus infections a year or a chronic sinus infection, meaning an infection that doesn’t resolve with multiple rounds of antibiotics, that’s the first step of determining candidacy for the procedure itself. The second criteria is their CT exam findings. So usually on the first visit or second visit, we’ll perform a sinus scan to sinus-related problems or potentially allergy-related issues as well. So using those two criteria really helps us define which patients will be a good candidate and which patients will have great success from doing the procedure.
The procedure is very simple. It’s usually performed in about a 45 minute to 60 minute time frame in the office. The patient is awake for it, which sounds scary to a lot of people, but in the hundreds of procedures we’ve done, patients have done very well with it. The first 30 to 45 minutes is limited to just numbing up the nose and it’s really a two-step process. The first thing we do is place a piece of cotton that’s coated in numbing medication on both sides of their nasal cavities. And then once that has a chance to set, we then do a numbing injection in their nose, which the patients don’t feel other than maybe a little tingly sensation. Once the anesthetization is complete, then we do the procedure, which lasts maybe 10 to 15 minutes. The procedure itself is really just a dilation of their sinus openings. So we use a balloon and it goes into the narrowed openings of their sinus cavities. Once that balloon is in place, then we inflate it for about 3 to 4 seconds and that expands or opens that sinus cavity up.
Patient : Good. We’re in perfect position here. You’re going to feel a little bit of pressure as we inflate. Go ahead and inflate.
Doctor : There’s usually two to three areas on each side of their sinuses that we dilate. And then once that’s completed, the procedure is done. And typically the recovery time is a little bit of headache for that first evening, maybe the next day, but a lot of patients are able to return to their work, their job, their normal activity that same afternoon.
Doctor : Are you feeling okay?
Patient : Yeah, it really wasn’t that bad.
Doctor : Okay. Great. So I’ll see you back next week and we’ll take a look in there and see how you’re healing. Okay. I’ll walk you up to the front.
Patient : Okay.
Doctor : My experience. And if you look at research across the country, it’s, it’s pretty well documented that the success rate is well above 90%. And I would say it’s even probably above 90% for our practice. We define success as a 85 to 90% reduction in the number of headaches and or sinus infections that that patient has having. Usually I’ll have patients follow up within one to two weeks after their procedure, and almost invariably they all come back with smiles on their face, let me know how much better their sinus issues are, how much better they feel. I’ve had some patients, well, they’ll go 20, 30 years with sinus issues, sinus headaches almost every day of their life, and then you’ll see them at that two-week mark, and some of them even with tears in their eyes are so happy because they’re able to now live without having daily headaches.
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For details of our ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
ENT Head and Neck Surgery Centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
https://www.hkentspecialist.hk
Choosing The Best Course Of Treatment For Hypopharyngeal Cancer
Cancer is a disease that has been around for centuries, and it’s a murderer of people all around the world. Diagnosing cancer can be an arduous process, as doctors must thoroughly examine the patient to diagnose the type and severity of their cancer along with what treatments they can offer. Here take a look on the treatment options for hypopharyngeal cancer and choosing the best treatment.
Treatment options for hypopharyngeal cancer
There are a number of different treatment options to choose from for hypopharyngeal cancer. Some patients may only receive radiation therapy while others may require surgery. Others may also need chemotherapy. The treatment plan is customized based on the type of cancer, its location, and other factors like whether or not it has spread to nearby tissue.
Choosing the best treatment for hypopharyngeal cancer
The best treatment for hypopharyngeal cancer is based on the stage and type of cancer, as well as your general health. The most common treatments for hypopharyngeal cancer are radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to shrink or eliminate cells that continue to grow after surgery or other treatments. Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that targets all rapidly dividing cells in the body.
Supportive care during and after treatment for hypopharyngeal cancer
If you or someone you love is diagnosed with hypopharyngeal cancer, it’s important to understand the many options available for treatment, including surgery and cancer-specific therapies. Make sure to consider supportive care during and after treatment as well. This can include help with eating and drinking, swallowing difficulties, and pain control.
Prognosis of Hypopharyngeal Cancer
The prognosis of hypopharyngeal cancer is typically poor. The average five-year survival rate is around 27%. However, this number may be misleading because the only people who are generally eligible for standard treatments are those with localized cancers that can be surgically removed or those whose tumors don’t obstruct the upper esophagus.
Know the side effects of each treatment course
Side effects depend on the type of treatment that is chosen. Radiation and chemotherapy can cause nausea, fatigue, and temporary hair loss. Surgery can lead to infection, blood clots, and nerve damage. Combining treatments might present risks not seen with one treatment course alone.
Know what to expect during each phase of your treatment
Your doctor will decide on the best course of treatment based on your age, the size and location of the tumor, and your overall fitness. Some treatments can include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of these. Treatment options depend on how serious your disease is.
Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.
For details of our ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
https://www.hkentspecialist.hk
Lymphoma Symptoms and Prevention
Lymphoma is a form of cancer that affects the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped collections of immune cells found in various parts of the body including under your arms, groin or near your collar bone. This article will provide tips on what are the symptoms of lymphoma, how you can prevent it and how to diagnose it if you think you have this disease.
The Symptoms of Lymphoma
Having a sore or swollen lymph node is not an accurate sign of cancer, however it can be a sign of something more serious. If you have been experiencing night sweats, weight loss, persistent cough or pain in the abdomen for more than one week, it may be time to visit your ENT doctor.
The Role of Diet in Lymphoma Prevention
Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system. The risk for this type of cancer is very low, but it’s important to do what you can to prevent it. A healthy diet is one of the most important things you can do to lower your risk of developing lymphoma. Lifestyle factors are also important, including smoking cessation, maintaining a healthy weight, and limiting alcohol consumption.
Other Factors that Increase Risk for Lymphoma
It is important to know the risk factors that can increase your chances of getting lymphoma. These include age, race or ethnicity, family history, and exposure to other cancers such as breast cancer. Smoking and drinking alcohol can also increase the risk for this type of cancer.
Prevention of Lymphoma
In order to prevent lymphoma, you should practice good hygiene and avoid contact with people who have had the disease. You should also avoid radiation and hazardous chemicals, which can cause an increased risk of contracting lymphoma. Finally, make sure to be vaccinated. The only way to prevent lymphoma is to not smoke. Researchers have found that non-smoking adults are 10 times less likely to develop lymphoma. The risk of developing this blood cancer then decreases by 6% for every additional year that an adult doesn’t smoke. If you are a smoker, it’s even more important to stop smoking.
The Diagnosis of Lymphoma
When lymphoma becomes active, it starts to grow in the lymph nodes. The diagnosis is difficult because the disease can be localized, but it can also spread to other parts of the body. The tumor might only be millimeters in size, but cause other symptoms like weight loss or fever. If you have one or more of these symptoms, see your ENT doctor for an examination and possible blood work. The next step is to do a biopsy of the lymph nodes. The doctor will take out a small tissue sample, usually with a needle , and look at it under a microscope. If the doctor says you have lymphoma, you will probably need other tests to find out which type you have. The doctor might also do a biopsy of the tumor to find out how fast it is growing. A sample will be removed, and it will be tested to find out how fast the tumor is growing, and what kind of cells it starts from. This will help the doctor decide your treatment .
How is lymphoma treated? Once you have been diagnosed with lymphoma, your doctor will decide which kind of treatment to use. The type of treatment you receive depends on the type of lymphoma you have, how big and how fast your tumor grows, and whether it has spread to other parts of the body.
Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.
For details of our ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
https://www.hkentspecialist.hk
Facts About Thyroidectomy Surgery
It is estimated that about one in fifty people are diagnosed with thyroid cancer at some point. Many of these patients may be advised to undergo thyroidectomy surgery to remove all or part of the thyroid gland. This article discusses the pros and cons of thyroid surgery, including things to consider when in doubt.
What is a thyroidectomy?
Thyroidectomy is surgery that involves the removal of the entire thyroid gland or parts of the gland. Indications for surgery include hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer, thyroid lymphoma, and goiter.
Reasons for a thyroidectomy
There are many benefits to this surgery, for instance it is a less invasive procedure with few risks involved in comparison to other surgeries. It is most often needed for cancer. If cancer is not present, it can be done as a treatment for enlarged thyroids or benign tumors. It’s also common for hyperthyroidism.
For most people, a special diet after a thyroidectomy is not necessary. It is likely to eat softer foods and drink normally the morning after surgery.
What are the side effects of thyroid surgery?
After a total thyroidectomy, the entire thyroid gland is removed and no hormone needed to control the body’s metabolic processes is supplied. Hence, the patient will take lifelong thyroid hormone replacements. She might also have to take supplements to balance the calcium levels.
After a thyroid lobectomy, the patient needs to have her thyroid hormone levels checked and will be prescribed a thyroid hormone replacement, if needed.
In the weeks after surgery, the patient may have a temporary neck pain, soreness of the vocal chords or a weak voice.
Besides, the surgery can result in hypothyroidism, which means the patient will need to take medication for the rest of their life. The other major complication is damage to nerves or vessels during the process, leading to reduced blood flow to the vocal cords, which may cause significant voice problems. Post-operative care can also be difficult because patients are more prone to infection.
After surgery, the thyroid gland needs to be closely monitored. This is done with a series of blood tests and ultrasound scans. Thyroid hormone levels may need to be adjusted, and patients will usually need to take thyroid hormone for the rest of their lives. Patients who keep their thyros naturally active and do not have problems can take control of their health by eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and taking supplements.
What is recovery like after thyroid surgery?
After the thyroidectomy or thyroid lobectomy, the patient may have a temporary sore throat, neck pain, difficulty swallowing or a weak voice.
Her diet will be restricted for the evening of the surgery, but generally can return to normal the next day.
Most people may return home within one day of surgery, but take off about two weeks from work to recover. It needs to refrain from heavy lifting or other tasks that can strain the neck for up to three weeks after surgery. Soaking or scrubbing the site of your incision is also discouraged for at least one week to allow it time to properly heal. Showering is generally allowed after about one day.
Pain at the site of the incision will improve after a few days but may continue for a week.
Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.
For details of our ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
https://www.hkentspecialist.hk
Choosing The Right Treatment For Your Child’s Nasopharyngeal Cancer
Cancer is a word that strikes fear into the hearts of many people, but the reality is that the majority of cancer cases are curable. In this article, we’ll be exploring several different treatment options for childhood nasopharyngeal cancer and how to choose the right one for your child.
What is nasopharyngeal cancer?
Nasopharyngeal cancer is a rare type of cancer that begins in the upper part of the throat, or nasopharynx. It’s often caused by infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) but can also be caused by other viruses, chemicals, and even radiation. These cancers are usually found at an early stage because they often cause symptoms like stuffy nose, sore throat, hoarseness, and enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. It is more common in teens than in children younger than 10 years of age.
Treatment Option Overview
There are different types of treatment for children with nasopharyngeal cancer. Some are standard treatment currently used, and some are being tested in clinical trials to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments.
Four types of standard treatment:
- Chemotherapy
It is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing.
- Radiation therapy
It is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing.
- Surgery
Surgery is used to remove the tumor if the tumor has not spread throughout the nasal cavity and throat at the time of diagnosis. If a mass is small, it can be removed with an endoscope, a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera at the end. If it’s larger, a surgeon will make an incision in the skin. The mass may be removed in pieces with a very small tool and then put back together.
- Immunotherapy
It is a type of biologic therapy treatment that uses the patient’s immune system to fight cancer. Several types of immunotherapy are being used to treat children with nasopharyngeal cancer:
(1) Interferon may stop cancer cells from growing and it may also help kill cancer cells.
(2) EBV-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are a type of immune cell that can kill certain cells, including foreign cells, cancer cells, and cells infected with the Epstein-Barr virus. They are being studied to treat refractory or recurrent nasopharyngeal cancer.
(3) Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy blocks certain proteins. PD-1 is a protein on the surface of T cells that helps keep the body’s immune responses in check. PD-L1 is a protein found on some types of cancer cells. When PD-1 attaches to PD-L1, it stops the T cell from killing the cancer cell. PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors keep PD-1 and PD-L1 proteins from attaching to each other. This allows the T cells to kill cancer cells. Pembrolizumab and nivolumab are types of PD-1 inhibitors that have been used to treat adults with refractory nasopharyngeal cancer and may be considered to treat children.
The right treatment for nasopharyngeal cancer will depend on the size of the cancer, how fast it’s growing, and where it’s located. The most common treatments are surgery to remove the tumor, chemotherapy with radiation therapy, or radiation therapy alone. More uncommon treatments include stem-cell transplantation.
Usually, treatment of newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal cancer in children may include the following:
- Chemotherapy followed by chemotherapy and external radiation therapy given at the same time. Interferon may also be given.
- Chemotherapy followed by external radiation therapy.
- Surgery to remove the tumor.
Side effects that go away after treatment include:
Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of many different medicines and treatments. These side effects may lessen after the child finish treatment.
Pain, sore pink skin, bleeding and swelling are also common side effects of radiation therapy. These side effects usually go away after treatment ends.
Considerations when choosing a treatment for a child
Children are typically not able to make decisions related to their treatment. In order to make a decision, you will need to consult with your child’s team of doctors and therapists. You will also need to take into account the location of the tumor as this can affect the type of treatment that is available. Depending on the severity of treatment, you may be able to take it back home with you.
Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.
For details of our ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
https://www.hkentspecialist.hk
The Stages of Laryngeal Cancer and Their Treatment Options
Laryngeal cancer is a type of head and neck cancer that arises from the lining of the larynx. This part of the body includes the vocal cords, the esophagus, and the upper part of the windpipe. It can lead to serious complications if it’s not diagnosed early enough. Symptoms may include coughing up blood, feeling like one’s breathing passage might close off, hoarseness, pain in swallowing, voice changes, or trouble speaking. This article offers an overview on the stages of laryngeal cancer, its treatment options, and how to spot the first signs.
Stages of Laryngeal Cancer
Staging classifies a cancer based on how much cancer there is in the body and where it is when first diagnosed. Information from tests is used to find out the size of the tumour, which parts of the organ have cancer, whether the cancer has spread from where it first started and where the cancer has spread. Your ENT doctor uses the stage to plan treatment and estimate the outcome.
For laryngeal cancer, there are 5 stages – stage 0 followed by stages 1 to 4. The higher the stage number, the more the cancer has spread.
Some doctors may also use the following terms when discussing laryngeal cancer:
- Stage 0: The cancer is only in the inner lining of the larynx.
- Early stage: It includes stages 1 and 2.
- Locally advanced: It means stage 3.
- Advanced stage: It means stage 4.
Laryngeal cancer staging is very complicated since it is based on where the cancer starts in the larynx. There are unique descriptions for stages 1, 2 and 3 for cancer that starts above the vocal cords, in the vocal cords and below the vocal cords in the larynx. The stage 4 description is the same regardless of where the cancer started.
Treatment Options for Laryngeal Cancer
The different stages of the cancer correspond to the different areas that it has spread to. Treatment options can vary depending on where in the neck or head the cancer is (e.g., local treatment only, radiation and chemotherapy).
Local treatment of laryngeal cancer
When laryngeal cancer is diagnosed early, the most common treatment option is local treatment. For more advanced cancers, it may be necessary to remove the larynx and nearby lymph nodes. Surgery can also be done in stages: first removing the area where the tumor is located and then removing nearby lymph nodes that may contain cancer cells.
Radiation of laryngeal cancer
Radiation therapy is a technique that delivers high energy rays to tumors in order to decrease their size and limit damage to the surrounding tissue. The rays are controlled carefully so they don’t cause any damage to healthy cells or organs. The process usually requires many sessions over an extended period of time. Radiation therapy is often used in the later stages of the disease when it has metastasized, but it can also be used in early stages when there are few tumor cells present.
Chemotherapy of laryngeal cancer
Treatment of laryngeal cancer typically involves some form of surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. Surgery may be done to remove the cancerous cells, along with some surrounding tissue for safety. Chemotherapy is one way to destroy laryngeal cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body. Radiation therapy delivers high-energy rays directly into the tumor in order to kill any remaining cells.
In research, most cases of laryngeal cancer are diagnosed early because most patients have a persistent cough. The most effective treatment method is surgical removal of the tumor. The best way to decrease the risk of larynx cancer is by avoiding smoking. Quitting smoking before the age of 40 lowers the risk significantly. Other points to note about laryngeal cancer are that it’s more common in males than females and that it can be caused by other factors such as alcohol consumption, exposure to certain chemical fumes, and human papillomavirus.
Did you find the information useful? If so, continue reading our posts.
For details of our ENT services, diagnosis, and treatment, please consult our ENT specialist.
Source:
HK ENT Specialist Ltd.
Hong Kong based ENT clinic centre
For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,
Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,
Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services
https://www.hkentspecialist.hk
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