Throat cancer

Definition

Throat cancer is the malignant growth of cells of pharynx or larynx.

The cancers included under the term throat cancer are oropharyngeal cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, hypopharyngeal cancer, glottis cancer, supraglottic cancer and subglottic cancer.

Alternative names

Cancer- throat, Cancer – larynx, Laryngeal cancer, Cancer of glottis, Vocal cord cancer

Causes, incidence and risk factors

Throat cancer is caused due to mutations in the cells of pharynx or larynx. The mutations cause uncontrolled growth of these cells with cells having larger life span. The exact cause for these mutations is not known.

Tobacco and alcohol use, poor dental hygiene, exposure to asbestos, infection by human papilloma virus (HPV) and low intake of fruits and vegetables are the risk factors for throat cancer.

Symptoms

Cough, coughing up blood, sore throat, hoarseness of voice, changes in voice, difficulty in swallowing, ear pain, lump or sore which is not getting cured and unintentional weight loss are the symptoms of throat cancer.

Signs and tests

Throat cancer can be diagnosed by laryngoscopy or endoscopy and biopsy of the lesion during the procedure. X-ray, CT scan (Computerized Tomography), MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and PET (Positron Emission Tomography) are the imaging tests used to find out the extent of spread of cancer.

Treatment

Radiation therapy is usually used for the treatment of throat cancer as these mutated cells are sensitive to radiation therapy. In later stages chemotherapy and surgery may be used in combination with radiation therapy. In more advanced stages radiation therapy may be used only to control the symptoms. Targeted drug therapy is also used for certain types of throat cancers. The choice of treatment depends on the stage and location of throat cancer, type of cancer cells, overall health of the patient and personal preferences.

Expectations (Prognosis)

If the disease is detected in early stages then it is treatable in most of the cases. If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body then treatment is given only for symptomatic relief.

Complications

There may complications of throat cancer or the treatment for like difficulty in eating or swallowing, obstruction of airways, disfiguring of face or neck, hardness of neck skin, spread of cancer to other parts of the body, neck stiffness and pain and speech problems.

Calling your health care provide

If there are symptoms of throat cancer for more than two weeks then one must call a doctor and get diagnosed.

Prevention

There no definite way to prevent throat cancer. Avoiding smoking and alcohol, being cautious about chemicals and eating lots of fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of throat cancer.

Reference

Nih.gov, mayoclinic.com