Cancer of the Throat and Larynx

How is the disease diagnosed?

When a tumor is found, a small piece of it must be removed with a biopsy, to determine if it is cancerous. Surgery is usually performed to remove the rest of the tumor, known as resection, and to determine the extent of the disease. It is likely that a large tumor might have spread to local lymph nodes by the time of diagnosis. Nearby lymph nodes will be removed at the time of surgery to determine this. Other tests such as CT scans of the chest and neck may be performed to investigate potential spread to distant sites. Understanding the extent of the disease will guide the choices of therapy.