Treatment for laryngeal cancer
Treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy together is called chemoradiotherapy.
Chemotherapy uses anti cancer drugs to destroy cancer cells. These drugs are also called . The drugs circulate throughout the body in the bloodstream.
Radiotherapy uses radiation, usually x-rays, to destroy cancer cells.
Having the two treatments together often works better than having them on their own.
You might have chemoradiotherapy:
on its own as your main treatment for laryngeal cancer instead of surgery. An advantage of chemoradiotherapy in this situation is that you might still be able to speak afterwards. But you might need surgery if there are still signs of cancer after chemoradiotherapy
after surgery to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back
if the cancer cannot be removed by surgery
Chemoradiotherapy can be difficult to cope with. The side effects are the same kinds of side effects you can get from radiotherapy or chemotherapy alone. But when you have both treatments together some can be more severe.
You will have tests to find out if you are fit enough to have chemoradiotherapy. If you aren't you might be able to have surgery to remove the cancer followed by radiotherapy.
Your doctors consider many things when they plan your treatment. They will explain what treatment you are having and how long you have it for. They will also go through all the possible side effects.
When you have chemoradiotherapy, you might have any of these chemotherapy drugs:
cisplatin
carboplatin
fluorouracil (5FU)
Check what the name of your regimen is with your doctor or nurse, then take a look at our A to Z list of cancer drugs.
You have chemotherapy through a drip (an infusion). Your nurse puts a small tube into one of your veins and connects it to the drip, or you might need a central line. This is a long plastic tube that gives the drug into a large vein, either in your chest or in your arm. The tube stays in while you’re having treatment, which might be for a few months.
You might also have some of these treatments as part of a clinical trial.
See how to take part in a clinical trial
You usually have treatment in the chemotherapy day unit or you might need to stay in hospital for a day or more.
Before you begin treatment, the radiotherapy team works out how much radiation you need. They divide it into a number of smaller treatments. They call each treatment a fraction.
You have a mask made before you start radiotherapy.
Read more about what happens at your planning appointment
It can take a few days or up to 3 weeks before you start treatment.
You lie under a large machine to have radiotherapy.
Read more about what happens at your radiotherapy treatment sessions
You need to have blood tests to make sure it’s safe to start treatment. You usually have these a few days before or on the day you start treatment. You have blood tests before each round or cycle of treatment.
Your blood cells need to recover from your last treatment before you have more chemotherapy. Sometimes your blood counts are not high enough to have chemotherapy. If this happens, your doctor usually delays your next treatment. They will tell you when to repeat the blood test.
You take some cancer medicines in treatment cycles. This means you take the drug for a set period, followed by a break. For example, you might take a drug every day for a week and then not take it for 2 weeks. This 3 week period in total is one cycle of treatment.
Take your cancer drugs exactly as your doctor, specialist nurse or pharmacist has told you to. The break from treatment is important too. For many cancer drugs, it allows your body to recover.
Most people will have side effects from chemoradiotherapy for laryngeal cancer. Combining chemotherapy and radiotherapy can make side effects worse. But everyone is different and the side effects vary from person to person. You might not have all the side effects mentioned.
Side effects depend on:
how well you are before treatment
which chemotherapy drugs you have
how much of each drug you have
the dose of radiotherapy
how long you have your radiotherapy treatment for
Common chemotherapy side effects include:
feeling sick
loss of appetite
losing weight
feeling very tired
increased risk of getting an infection
bleeding and bruising easily
diarrhoea and constipation
hair loss
Read more about the general side effects of chemotherapy
Common radiotherapy side effects include:
a sore mouth and throat
feeling very tired
difficulty swallowing
feeling or being sick
voice changes
reddening or darkening of the skin in the area you have your radiotherapy
Find out more about the side effects of radiotherapy
If you smoke, your doctor will advise you to stop. Smoking during treatment can make the side effects much worse.
Last reviewed: 27 Aug 2024
Next review due: 27 Aug 2027
Chemotherapy uses anti cancer drugs to destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy is often given with radiotherapy for laryngeal cancer.
Radiotherapy uses high energy waves similar to x-rays to kill cancer cells. It's often the first choice of treatment for laryngeal cancer.
Lots of advice and support are available to help you cope with living with laryngeal cancer.
Laryngeal cancer is cancer that starts in the voice box (larynx). It is a type of head and neck cancer.
You usually start by seeing your GP. They will examine you and might refer you for tests or to a specialist.
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