Dysphonia as an alarming symptom in patients aged 40 or more years old.
Cancer of the Larynx is the most frequent neoplasic disease at the ENT service. It has an increasing incidence and mortality at present. In Cuba it has the fourth place out of all types of cancer in males following only lung, skin and prostatic gland cancers. The highest incidence occurs in elders ( with a rate of
17.5 x 100 000 habitants) 1, dysphonia being the main symptom at onset of the disease when the patients comes to the physician depending on treatment and prognosis in early and rapid cases if the diagnosis is performed fast. That is why it constitutes an essential aim in the teaching learning process of medical students. In this sense we always rephrase an aphorism that states that all adult smokers with a dysphonia of more than 15 days should be explored and studied exhaustively due to the risk of a laryngeal cancer. The principal objective is to train community doctors for their work in the early detection of even precancerous lesions. Dysphonia is an alarming symptom that should never be unassessed when it is present.2
References:
1. Cuba. MINSAP. Anuario estadístico de salud. ECIMED. 2006
Rapid Response:
Dysphonia as an alarming symptom in patients aged 40 or more years old.
Cancer of the Larynx is the most frequent neoplasic disease at the ENT service. It has an increasing incidence and mortality at present. In Cuba it has the fourth place out of all types of cancer in males following only lung, skin and prostatic gland cancers. The highest incidence occurs in elders ( with a rate of
17.5 x 100 000 habitants) 1, dysphonia being the main symptom at onset of the disease when the patients comes to the physician depending on treatment and prognosis in early and rapid cases if the diagnosis is performed fast. That is why it constitutes an essential aim in the teaching learning process of medical students. In this sense we always rephrase an aphorism that states that all adult smokers with a dysphonia of more than 15 days should be explored and studied exhaustively due to the risk of a laryngeal cancer. The principal objective is to train community doctors for their work in the early detection of even precancerous lesions. Dysphonia is an alarming symptom that should never be unassessed when it is present.2
References:
1. Cuba. MINSAP. Anuario estadístico de salud. ECIMED. 2006
2. http//:www.gal.sld.cu/gbpc/orl/cáncer de laringe
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests