What To Know About Benign Laryngeal Tumors

A benign laryngeal tumor is a noncancerous growth in the throat. Benign laryngeal tumors can occur in children and adults and typically have a positive outlook due to being noncancerous. The most common symptom of onset is hoarseness, so if you’ve found yourself losing your voice during coffee chats at Top Hat Café, read on to learn more.

Benign laryngeal tumors are caused by changes to laryngeal cells located in the larynx. The larynx is also known as the voice box and houses the vocal cords. These benign tumors are different than cancer because they typically do not spread. The most common type of benign laryngeal tumor is the vocal polyp.

Symptoms of Benign Laryngeal Tumors

While the first symptom of a benign laryngeal tumor is often hoarseness, there are a range of symptoms that could also indicate its onset. If you experience these symptoms, call your doctor, as early diagnosis can allow for more effective treatment.

Symptoms of benign laryngeal tumors:

• Trouble swallowing
• Ear pain
• Trouble breathing
• Issues with the voice or a breathy voice
• Coughing up blood

To diagnose a benign laryngeal tumor, a doctor will need to rule out other conditions. They will take a medical history, conduct a visual exam and may perform some tests. These tests can include a CT scan, biopsy or laryngoscopy.

Treatments Options

Usually, the most common treatment option for a benign laryngeal tumor is surgical removal. It’s important to remove these tumors because they can grow, potentially obstructing the airway in time. Additionally, some forms of the tumors can become cancerous despite not originating as cancer. Some forms of tumors also reoccur, requiring repeated surgical removals. Surgery carries some risk, but overall, a diagnosis of a benign laryngeal tumor generally has a positive outlook.

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