The Larynx Carcinomas in West Serbia

Background: Malignant tumors of the larynx account for 20% of all malignant head and neck tumors, and 45% of all epithelial head and neck tumors, as well as 2% of all malignant tumors. They commonly occur among the population of 50-70 years of age, and quite rarely among the population under 20 years of age, and affect predominantly male population. The larynx is located at the intersection of the respiratory and digestive ducts. It consists of a number of cartilages mutually connected by joints, muscles and connective tissue. Anatomically, clinically and oncologically speaking, the larynx is divided into three sections: supraglottis, glottis and subglottis. The supraglottis tumors dominate over the glottis tumors while the subglottis tumors are the least frequent and occur with approximately 5% of the patients. The larynx carcinomas produce regional metastases on the neck and more distant organs such as the lungs, the liver and the brain. Aim: The survey covers the five-year period, from 2010-2015, during which LMS (laryngomicroscopic procedures) were performed on the patients from municipality of Čačak and West Serbia and results obtained upon the histopathological examination of the biopsy-taken tissues of the above patients. Methods: Diagnosis, estimation of the logically and the extent of tumor are performed according to the following method of operation: 1. Case history 2. Clinical examination 3. Endoscopic examination and RTG examination. Endoscopic methods: 1. Indirect laryngoscopy 2. DSC and LMS (directoscopy and laryngomicroscopy) 3. Fib laryngoscopy 4. ESC (esophagoscopy), due to the tendency of tumor to spread to hypopharynx 5. TBSC (tracheobronchoscopy) 6. Stroboscopy. The essential procedures in the larynx carcinoma therapy are as follows: 1. To assess the locality and extent of the tumor 2. To ascertain the PH with specific histologic paraments (nuclear and histologic graduation) 3. To assess the extent of the tumor in the region. Results: The total of 305 LMS procedures were performed, out of which 225 on male and 80 LMS on female patients. There were 207 (68%) patients with benign lesions and 98 patients (32%) with larynx carcinomas. The larynx carcinoma was found in 90% of the male and 10% of the female patients. The youngest patient aged 26, while the oldest one was 82 years of age. The benign lesions took the forms of polyps, papillomas, hemangiomas and chronic inflammation of the larynx mucous membrane. Conclusion: The exposure of the larynx epithelium to various air pollutants and tobacco smoke especially, causes numerous changes in the organ which may range from harmless acute inflammation to cancerogenic conditions.