You will usually get the biopsy results within a week. If cancer cells are found in the larynx, your specialist may want you to have some further tests to find the size of the cancer and if it has spread. You may have some of the following tests:

There isn’t a specific blood test that can detect laryngeal cancer, but blood tests may be taken to check your general health.

You may have a chest x-ray to check your general health and to see if the cancer has spread to the lungs (which is uncommon).

A CT (computerised tomography) scan takes a series of x-rays, which are fed into a computer to give a detailed picture of the throat and neck. It’s used to check whether there has been any spread of the cancer to other parts of your throat and neck.

Once you’re lying comfortably on the couch the scan can be taken. The scan itself is painless but it will mean lying still for around 10–20 minutes. To give more detail, a dye may be injected into a vein in your arm. This may make you feel hot all over, but the feeling won’t last long.

Most people are able to go home as soon as their scan is over.

An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan is similar to a CT scan, but uses magnetic fields instead of x-rays to build up a series of cross-sectional pictures of the body.

During the test you will be asked to lie very still on a couch inside a metal cylinder that is open at both ends. The whole test may take up to an hour and is painless – although the machine is very noisy. You will be given earplugs or headphones to wear.

The cylinder is a very powerful magnet, so before going into the room you should remove all metal belongings. You should also tell your doctor if you have ever worked with metal or in the metal industry or if you have any metal inside your body (for example, a cardiac monitor, pacemaker, surgical clips, or bone pins). You may not be able to have an MRI because of the magnetic fields.

Some people are given an injection of dye into a vein in the arm, but this usually does not cause any discomfort.

You may feel claustrophobic inside the cylinder, but you may be able to take someone with you into the room to keep you company. It can help to mention to the staff beforehand if you do not like enclosed spaces. They can then offer extra support during your test.

A PET (positron emitted tomography) scan uses low dose radiation to measure the activity of cells in different parts of the body. This is combined with a CT scan. This gives more detailed information about the part of the body being scanned. PET-CT scans are a new type of scan and you may have to travel to a specialist centre to have one.

You will be asked not to eat for six hours before the scan, although you may be able to drink. You will be given an injection of a mildly radioactive substance into a vein, usually in your arm. The radiation dose used is very small. You will then have to wait at least an hour after the injection until you have the scan. The scan itself usually takes between 30 and 90 minutes. You should be able to go home after the scan is over.

You may have to wait several days for the results, and this may be a very anxious time for you. You may wish to contact our information service or another support organisation for emotional support.