People have been urged to speak to their GP if they experience a specific symptom for three weeks or longer following the shock cancer diagnosis of TV and radio presenter Jamie Theakston. Heart Radio host Jamie recently revealed he had laryngeal cancer, or cancer of the larynx.
On his Instagram account, the 53-year-old explained he had undergone surgery to remove the cancerous lesion and his outlook was now “positive”. Since his announcement, the NHS website has reported a 13-fold increase in searches for laryngeal cancer over the past week.
The disease is thought to affect around 2,000 people in the UK every year but despite these numbers it is relatively unknown. A new survey of 500 UK adults carried out by Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor showed that 60 percent of the population had never heard of laryngeal cancer, and six percent had only heard of it for the first time in relation to Jamie Theakston.
The survey also revealed that almost nine in 10 people (88 percent) would not feel confident in identifying symptoms of laryngeal cancer. In a bid to change this, GP Doctor Neel Patel from Lloyds explained more about the disease and what to look for.
Dr Patel said: “Laryngeal cancer affects the larynx (also called the voice box). This form of throat cancer sees more than 2,000 new diagnoses per year, according to the NHS.”
He warned that if you experience a hoarse voice for more than three weeks you should speak to your doctor. “The most common symptom of laryngeal cancer which people may notice first is a hoarse voice that lasts more than three weeks,” he said.
“Additional symptoms include; other changes in your voice, difficulty swallowing, swelling or lumps in the neck, a persistent cough or sore throat and sometimes difficulty breathing. If you’ve been experiencing these symptoms, I would highly recommend that you visit your GP who may refer you to see a specialist.
“Diagnosis may take the form of a nasendoscopy (small camera inserted through the nostril), laryngoscopy (a camera inserted down the throat), or biopsy (taking a sample of cells for testing).”
Treatment
The most common treatments for laryngeal cancer are radiotherapy, chemotherapy, other targeted cancer medications, or surgery. Dr Patel said: “If the cancer is advanced, surgery may involve the removal of the larynx. This results in losing the ability to speak or breathe normally. Instead, you would need a stoma in your neck (a hole which allows you to breathe).”
Causes
While the exact cause of laryngeal cancer specifically is unknown, there are certain things that can increase your chance of developing this form of cancer. Dr Patel added: “Smoking massively increases your risk of lung, mouth, and throat cancers. Those scared they may be at risk of developing this form of cancer should work to stop smoking.
“Regular binge drinking, unhealthy and unbalanced diets, exposure to carcinogens such as asbestos, and a family history of laryngeal cancer can all also increase your risk.”
In his statement on social media, Jamie Theakston said: “As you know – I recently had an operation to remove a lesion from my vocal cords. The biopsy has identified this as stage one laryngeal cancer. So – I have cancer – but cancer doesn’t have me. The prognosis is very positive and I’m hoping to be back with you in October.”