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Head and neck tumors include tumors of any tissue and organ in the head and neck except the eyes and brain, and the most common lesions are the mouth, pharynx, thyroid, esophagus, and larynx. Head and neck malignancies are the 6th most common cancer worldwide, accounting for about 10% of all malignancies, with more than 600,000 new cases diagnosed worldwide each year. To this end, the World Congress of the International Federation of Head and Neck Oncology Associations (IFHNOS) has designated July 27 as "World Head and Neck Tumor Day" every year, aiming to deepen people's understanding of head and neck tumors, avoid the causative factors that lead to head and neck tumors, and achieve early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment of head and neck tumor diseases.
Laryngeal cancer and thyroid nodules are relatively common head and neck tumors in daily life, laryngeal cancer likes to find men, and thyroid nodules prefer to find women, what is the reason?
Laryngeal cancer is more likely to find men
Head and neck malignancies are the sixth most common cancer worldwide, accounting for about 10% of all malignancies. The most common sites of head and neck tumors are the mouth, pharynx, thyroid, esophagus, and larynx. Among them, laryngeal cancer is a common malignant tumor of the head and neck, with an incidence of about 6/100,000 people, and 96%~98% of them are squamous cell carcinomas, and other pathological types are rare.
In recent years, the incidence of laryngeal cancer has increased significantly, and the incidence of laryngeal cancer in men is much higher than that in women, with a male-to-female ratio of about (7~9):1, and the age of onset is mostly 40~60 years old. The incidence of laryngeal cancer varies by ethnicity and region, and the incidence in North China and Northeast China is much higher than that in Jiangnan provinces.
The etiology of laryngeal cancer is still not very clear, but epidemiological data confirm that it is related to genetics, smoking and alcohol consumption, viral infections, environmental and occupational factors, radiation, trace element deficiencies, sex hormone metabolism disorders and other factors, and is often the result of the synergistic effect of a variety of carcinogenic factors.
To prevent laryngeal cancer, we need to do the following 6 things:
Eliminate bad habits – quit smoking and drinking
Especially middle-aged and elderly men, we should try to quit the habit of smoking, and the nicotine, coal tar and benzopyrene produced in smoke are all carcinogens. Studies have shown that smoking is not only an important risk factor for laryngeal cancer, but also causes lung cancer, oral cancer, pharyngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer and bladder cancer. In addition, it is necessary to avoid alcoholism, which can lead to mucosal damage, congestion, and edema due to the stimulation of alcohol, which may cause cancer.
Develop good eating habits – spicy, stimulating foods and not greedy
Avoid long-term consumption of spicy and irritating foods, such as hot pot and spicy hotpot, which are harmful to the throat, esophagus, stomach, etc., and are one of the irritating factors leading to the occurrence of cancer.
Avoid irritation from chemical carcinogens – take precautions
Some chemical carcinogens such as sulphur dioxide, chromium and arsenic have been linked to laryngeal cancer. In our daily life and work environment, such as renovating houses, working in jobs that are exposed to chemicals, second-hand smoke, etc., inhaling gases and dusts containing these harmful components can damage the throat and must be protected.
Pay attention to throat discomfort – seek medical attention in time to eliminate risks
In the early stage of laryngeal cancer, it often manifests as pharyngeal discomfort, such as pharyngeal foreign body sensation, pharyngeal itching, coughing, hoarseness, choking, poor swallowing, obstructive foreign body sensation when swallowing, and some patients may have symptoms such as blood in sputum or coughing up blood.
The more timely the treatment, the more it can reduce the harm of laryngeal cancer, protect the swallowing and vocal function of the larynx, and prolong life.
Of course, having the above symptoms does not necessarily mean that you have throat cancer, so you should not be overly nervous.
Pay attention to precancerous lesions - follow your doctor's instructions for early treatment
Many patients with laryngeal cancer have lesions that develop step by step, and there are some clinical diseases, such as vocal cord leukoplakia, laryngeal papilloma, etc., which are precancerous lesions. Adequate attention should be paid to these diseases, as they may become laryngeal cancer if they continue to progress. Patients with this type of disease should have regular and strict follow-up visits according to the doctor's instructions, or take surgery as soon as possible.
Annual medical check-ups are indispensable
For ordinary people, even if there are no throat discomfort symptoms, the throat should be checked regularly, generally once a year, for elderly men, or people with a long-term history of smoking and drinking, or a family history of laryngeal cancer, or people with a history of exposure to chemicals or radioactive exposure, it is recommended to check once every six months.
Thyroid cancer is more likely to be found in women
The thyroid gland is one of the very important endocrine organs of the human body, which is prone to a variety of diseases. The most common thyroid diseases in internal medicine include hyperthyroidism (hyperthyroidism), hypothyroidism (hypothyroidism), and thyroiditis. There are many thyroid diseases involved in surgery, among which thyroid tumors are the most common, including nodular goiter, thyroid adenoma and thyroid cancer.
Thyroid nodules are a frequent and common disease of the endocrine system. In recent years, with the development of the economy and the public's attention to health, more and more physical examination items have added thyroid examination, so the detection rate of thyroid nodules is getting higher and higher, the prevalence of thyroid nodules obtained by palpation examination by doctors is 3%~7%, and the prevalence of thyroid nodules obtained by B-ultrasound examination is as high as 20%~76%.
Most of the time, thyroid nodules don't cause noticeable symptoms. In some patients, thyroid nodules can cause abnormal thyroid function (hyperthyroidism is common), and symptoms such as polyphagia, excessive sweating, weight loss, irritability, palpitations, and menstrual disorders will occur. When the thyroid nodule is large, symptoms such as difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, and hoarseness may occur. If you encounter the above symptoms, you should go to the hospital in time to check whether it is thyroid disease.
Although the causes of thyroid nodules are diverse, in general, most thyroid nodules are benign and slow to grow, do not require special treatment, and can "coexist peacefully". Of course, it is still necessary to follow up every 6-12 months, and once there is an abnormal enlargement of nodules and obvious changes in hormone levels, it is necessary to give active diagnosis and intervention.
The prevalence of thyroid cancer in thyroid nodules is 5%~15%, it can be said that thyroid cancer is quietly entering our lives, and its incidence is also increasing. It is understood that the incidence of thyroid cancer among urban residents in Beijing increased from 1.55 per l00,000 in 1995 to 9.9 per 100,000 in 2010, an increase of 6.38 times. Therefore, it is necessary to pay enough attention to thyroid disease and take measures to prevent it effectively.
First of all, maintaining a good mood and a positive and optimistic attitude towards life and work is the easiest way to effectively avoid thyroid diseases, especially thyroid cancer. Studies have shown that the incidence of thyroid cancer in female patients is about 6 times that of male patients, among which, in addition to being related to female hormones, mental and emotional factors are also prone to hormone secretion disorders, leading to the occurrence of malignant tumors. Therefore, for women, more attention should be paid to the physical examination of the thyroid gland.
Second, it is necessary to avoid exposure to radioactive substances as much as possible, especially infants and children. Radiation exposure or exposure to radioactive substances is one of the risk factors for thyroid cancer.
Third, we should pay attention to avoid excessive consumption of foods with too high iodine content for a long time.
Fourth, in life, you should pay more attention to observe the thyroid gland, thyroid nodules refer to a lump in the thyroid gland, which can move up and down with the thyroid gland with swallowing action. Individuals can observe and touch the nodules through swallowing movements to understand whether there is obvious swelling, bilateral asymmetry, mass formation, etc., and if abnormalities are found, they should seek medical attention in time. Women and the elderly should pay more attention to self-examination in their daily lives.
In addition, patients with a family history of thyroid cancer and patients with a previous history of thyroid cancer are at high risk of thyroid cancer and thyroid cancer recurrence.