🎗️ Throat Cancer – Overview
Throat cancer refers to malignant tumors that develop in the pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), or tonsils. It affects the tissues involved in breathing, swallowing, and speaking.
📍 Types of Throat Cancer:
- Pharyngeal cancer – affects the pharynx, divided into:
- Nasopharynx (upper throat behind the nose)
- Oropharynx (middle throat, including tonsils)
- Hypopharynx (lower throat)
- Laryngeal cancer – affects the larynx or voice box
🧬 Causes & Risk Factors:
- Tobacco use (smoking cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco)
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, especially HPV-16
- Exposure to chemicals (asbestos, wood dust)
- Poor oral hygiene
- Age (more common in people over 50)
- Male gender
- Diet low in fruits and vegetables
🩺 Symptoms:
- Persistent hoarseness or voice changes
- Sore throat that does not go away
- Difficulty swallowing or pain when swallowing
- Lump or swelling in the neck or throat
- Persistent cough or coughing up blood
- Ear pain
- Unexplained weight loss
- Feeling of something stuck in the throat
🔍 Diagnosis:
- Physical examination including inspection and palpation of the throat and neck
- Laryngoscopy or endoscopy for direct visualization
- Biopsy of suspicious tissue
- Imaging tests: CT scan, MRI, PET scan to assess extent
- HPV testing (for oropharyngeal cancers)
💊 Treatment:
- Surgery – removal of the tumor and sometimes lymph nodes
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted therapy (e.g., cetuximab)
- Often a combination depending on stage and location