If you're diagnosed with laryngeal cancer, your outlook may never have been better. Surgeons at GW Hospital are recognized nationally and locally for laser surgery that successfully treats the cancer while offering a faster recovery than traditional procedures.

What Are the Symptoms?
Laryngeal cancers can affect the voice box and the surrounding area, including the upper part of the larynx, the vocal cords and the throat. Tobacco use, secondhand smoke and excessive alcohol consumption can increase the risk for laryngeal cancers. Common symptoms of laryngeal cancers include:

• Hoarseness or changes in voice quality
• Sore throat
• Persistent coughing
• Difficulty or changes in swallowing
• Ear pain
• Lumps in the throat or neck

Nader Sadeghi, MD, Director of Head and Neck Surgery

Minimally Invasive Laser Surgery
"We offer most patients minimally invasive laser treatments through their mouths without making any incisions," says Nader Sadeghi, MD, Director of Head and Neck Surgery and Associate Professor of Surgery. "We're one of the few hospitals in the country and the area using laser surgery to treat cancers of both the vocal cords and the upper portion of the larynx."

In this type of surgery, the doctor places a thin, lighted tube called a laryngoscope inside the patient's mouth to visualize the throat and the voice box. The voice box is then viewed under high magnification with a laser-equipped microscope. Using microscopic laser cuts, the tumor is removed with high precision. In most cases, the patient won't need a temporary tracheotomy.

"We're seeing very good outcomes in terms of cancer recovery rates, improvements in function with regard to voice and swallowing, better cosmetic results and faster recoveries," Dr. Sadeghi says.

Team Approach to Treatment
Surgeons at GW Hospital also can use laser surgery to target other cancers in the back of the throat and tongue, and other areas of the throat. Your doctor may use a laryngoscope to examine your larynx and the surrounding area for growths, masses or changes in tissue color. They can biopsy suspicious areas to determine whether they're cancerous.

A multidisciplinary team of head and neck specialists at GW Hospital works to develop your treatment plan based on your cancer's location and stage. Your treatment plan may include laser surgery, open surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation. Treatment is individualized while following established national guidelines. When found early without distant spread, doctors at GW Hospital often can treat laryngeal cancers successfully. "Fortunately a large number of laryngeal cancers fall in this category," Dr. Sadeghi says.

Get Checked Out Today
If you have been diagnosed with laryngeal cancer, please call Direct Doctors^SM Plus at 1-888-4GW-DOCS for referral to a surgeon, or visit www.gwhospital.com.

900 23rd St., NW, Washington, DC 20037 (202) 715-4000