Survival rates for laryngeal cancer vary, depending on whether the cancer starts in your glottis and whether it spreads to other tissues or organs.
Laryngeal cancer happens when cancerous cells grow out of control in your larynx — an organ in your throat that contains muscles and cartilage that allow you to use your voice.
With early diagnosis, laryngeal cancer has a positive outlook if it’s in your glottis, which contains your vocal cords. But your outlook can be less favorable the longer it takes to get a diagnosis and if the cancer exists above or below your glottis.
Read on to learn more about the survival rates for laryngeal cancer, how it might affect your life expectancy or quality of life, and what other factors may affect your outlook.
What’s the survival rate for laryngeal cancer?
Laryngeal cancer is a type of throat cancer that makes up about 4% of diagnosed cancers in the United States.
The survival rates for laryngeal cancer depend on two main factors: the cancer’s location and spread.
Laryngeal cancer that starts in your glottis, where your vocal cords are, has the highest survival rate. According to the American Cancer Society , the average 5-year relative survival rate is 84% for cancer that hasn’t spread but 45% if it’s spread to distant regions, like your lungs.
Laryngeal cancer in your subglottis below your vocal cords has the next highest survival rate, ranging from 38% for regional cancer to 59% for localized cancer.
Laryngeal cancer in your supraglottis above your vocal cords has the lowest survival rate of all types of laryngeal cancer, ranging from 30% for metastatic cancer to 61% if localized.
How does laryngeal cancer affect your life expectancy?
In a 2021 Iranian study , about 50% of people with laryngeal cancer lived for at least 7 years after diagnosis, with almost 31% living for 10 years or longer. But several factors can affect your life expectancy with laryngeal cancer.
First, how early you receive a diagnosis can significantly affect how long you live after diagnosis. A 2023 study showed that people who received a stage 3 or 4 laryngeal cancer diagnosis were three times more likely to die of causes related to laryngeal cancer than people who received a stage 1 or 2 diagnosis.
The same study also found that people who received surgery to treat their laryngeal cancer were more likely to live longer than people who didn’t get surgery. In the study, surgery typically led to a more positive outlook in the 5 years after diagnosis and treatment than treatments like radiotherapy .
Causes of death in laryngeal cancer
According to a 2022 study , most deaths (about two-thirds) in people with laryngeal cancer in the 18-year study period were due to other causes, the most common being:
Deaths due to laryngeal cancer were most likely within the first 5 years after diagnosis.
How does laryngeal cancer affect your quality of life?
Laryngeal cancer that doctors diagnose and treat in early stages might not affect your quality of life noticeably.
But as cancerous cells spread from your larynx and further into your glottis and throat’s surrounding tissues, you might notice you have difficulty swallowing or feel pain when you talk, eat, or drink.
A 2019 study shared that treatments for advanced laryngeal cancer, such as feeding tubes or surgical removal of throat tissue, had some of the most significant effects on the participants’ quality of life, especially if cancer had spread into their mouths.
The study also noted that conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes mellitus also had a significant effect on quality of life with laryngeal cancer.
Among head and neck cancers , laryngeal cancer also had the most significant effect on emotional well-being and mental health.
Symptoms in the final stages of throat cancer
As throat cancer spreads, you may experience some of the following symptoms:
- a sore throat that doesn’t go away
- dysphagia (pain or challenges when swallowing)
- earaches
- difficulty breathing
- unintentional weight loss
- a lump or mass in your neck
- stridor (a high pitched noise when you breathe)
- a cough that doesn’t go away
- coughing up blood
- bad breath that doesn’t resolve after brushing your teeth
- extreme tiredness or fatigue
What factors affect your outlook with laryngeal cancer?
As previously mentioned, your outlook with laryngeal cancer can depend largely on where in your larynx the cancer starts and how quickly you receive treatment. Most people with laryngeal cancer are able to obtain an early diagnosis, which may help speed up treatment and improve outlook.
Some medical conditions and lifestyle factors can also affect your outlook with laryngeal cancer, including:
- cigarette or cigar smoking
- chewable tobacco
- heavy alcohol consumption (two or more drinks per day)
- insufficient nutrient or vitamin intake through your diet or supplements
- a diet low in fruits and vegetables and high in ultra-processed foods
- human papillomavirus (HPV) contact
- a weakened immune system from illness or an autoimmune condition
- exposure to harmful substances in work environments, such as chemical fumes or asbestos
- genetic conditions like Fanconi anemia or a family history of throat cancer
Frequently asked questions
How long can you live with throat cancer without treatment?
It’s hard to say exactly how long you can live with throat cancer without treatment. It depends on where the cancer starts and how quickly it spreads.
A 2020 study involving 6,477 people who received head and neck cancer diagnoses between 2004 and 2014 found an average survival rate of 12 months without treatment.
Is laryngeal cancer fast-growing?
Many laryngeal cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, which are typically slow-growing cancers. But some laryngeal tumors may be more likely to spread than others.
Is laryngeal cancer curable?
Laryngeal cancer is most likely to be curable if it hasn’t spread beyond your larynx. People with stage 1 laryngeal cancer that starts in your glottis have a survival rate of 84%.
The farther that cancer spreads beyond your larynx, the harder it becomes to treat.
Takeaway
The outlook, survival, and life expectancy of people with laryngeal cancer are generally favorable for early stage cancers that start in your glottis. Your outlook might change if the cancer starts above or below your larynx or if it doesn’t receive treatment as it begins to spread.
Many people with laryngeal cancer can receive an early diagnosis due to noticeable symptoms . Talk with a medical professional to get a diagnosis as soon as possible if you think you have laryngeal cancer.
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