Throat cancer is a disease that affects approximately 3 out of every 100,000 people. More than 26,000 cases of throat cancer in its various forms are diagnosed yearly, and nearly six thousand people die from this disease or related complications at the same time. The primary risk group for throat cancer in males over the age of sixty. It is important, especially for those at higher risk, to know the symptoms of throat cancer as well as the risk factors which may contribute to its prevalence.
What is Throat Cancer?
Throat cancer is a disease that can develop in various regions of the neck and throat. Depending on where it forms, it can be easier or harder to treat, as well as having more or less serious complications should it be allowed to progress. Types of throat cancer can be categorized according to the area that they affect:
- Nasopharyngeal –Area just behind in the nose.
- Oropharyngeal – Middle part of the throat, just behind the mouth and including the tonsils.
- Hypopharyngeal – The lower part of the throat, near the esophagus.
- Glottic – Affecting the vocal cords.
- Supraglottic – Upper portion of the larynx, including the epiglottis.
- Subglottic – The lower portion of the voice box, below the vocal cords.
Causes and Risk Factors
While there is no definitively known cause of throat cancer, there are many risk factors associated with it and believed to contribute to the possibility of its emergence. The most common determinants of who is at risk for throat cancer are age and gender, but many lifestyle choices can also increase its likelihood.
- Smoking or chewing tobacco.
- Heavy alcohol consumption.
- Poor nutrition, including a deficiency of fruits and vegetables.
- Other health conditions such as Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein Barr virus (EBV).
- Weakened immune system due to health problems.
- Poor dental hygiene.
- Exposure to asbestos.
The exact magnitude that each of these factors has on the possibility of developing throat cancer is unknown.
Throat Cancer Symptoms
The types and severity of throat cancer symptoms is based on the location of cancer, the size of the tumor and the degree of metastasis (whether cancer has spread to other organs or not). These indicators can often be the same or similar to symptoms of other health problems, and so seeing a doctor is essential to making a proper diagnosis. A doctor can easily perform tests that will confirm or deny the presence of cancer, as well as being able to tell exactly how far it has progressed if it is present. The most common symptoms are listed below:
- Coughing that is persistent or recurring, sometimes accompanied by blood.
- Changes in the voice – hoarseness or abnormal breathing sounds.
- Pain or difficulty in swallowing for an extended period of time.
- Persistent earaches or ear pain.
- Lumps or sores are located in the back of the mouth, throat, or neck.
- Persistent sore throat.
- Unexplained weight loss.
- Difficulty breathing.
The extent to which throat cancer has progressed is classified according to a staging pattern. Each stage represents the size of the cancerous tumor as well as the degree to which it has spread to other areas of the body.
- Stage 1 – Tumor less than one inch; cancer not present in lymph nodes.
- Stage 2 – Tumor between one and two inches; cancer not present in lymph nodes.
- Stage 3 – Tumor more than two inches; cancer has spread to a lymph nodes on the same side as the tumor.
- Stage 4 – Cancer has spread to surrounding areas, such as lips and mouth; multiple lymph nodes affected or one lymph node larger than two inches.
Treating Throat Cancer
The success rates of treating this disease along with the likelihood of being able to cure it are based on how far along the cancer is, the types of cells involved and the overall health of the patient. If detected early, throat cancer has a high rate of successful treatment. If it spreads to the surrounding areas or lymph nodes, the success rate drops to 50 to 60 percent. Once the disease has reached stage 4 throat cancer, however, the probability of being able to cure it is minimal. The only choice is to attempt to minimize the symptoms and improve the quality of life of the cancer sufferer.
There are several different methods that doctors can use to treat throat cancer:
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy involves bombarding the cancerous cells with radiation. It works best when the cancer is detected early and if done in time can often completely remove the disease. For advanced-stage cancers, radiation can be used to reduce symptoms, but other treatments may be necessary in conjunction with the radiation in order to achieve results.
Surgery
With early-stage throat cancer, surgery can often be used to remove tumors if they are easily accessible, such as on the surface of the throat or vocal cords. The cancerous cells can be scraped off, cut out, or vaporized with a laser. For advanced stages, more intense procedures or the removal of entire areas of the throat may be necessary to prevent it from worsening. Some of the procedures that may be used are:
- Laryngectomy – Removal of all or part of the voice box. If the tumor is small, the ability to speak and breathe normally may be preserved, though if it is larger, the entire voice box may need to be taken out.
- Pharyngectomy – Removal of all or part of the throat. The larger the tumor, the more that needs to be removed. Some of the functions of the throat, such as swallowing, can be restored by reconstructive surgery.
- Neck Dissection – removal of cancerous lymph nodes.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses chemicals to kill cancer cells. It is usually performed in conjunction with radiation therapy for maximum effect, as some of the chemicals make cancer cells less resistant to radiation. Chemotherapy has several unpleasant side effects, however.
Targeted Drug Therapy
By using drugs, doctors attempt to alter certain aspects of the cancer cells. This stops chemical reactions that allow the cells to grow and spread to other areas. Targeted drug therapy is often used in combination with radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
The main factor in determining whether throat cancer is treatable is the degree to which it has spread. If experiencing symptoms, one should visit a doctor as soon as possible so that, if diagnosed, treatment can begin immediately. Bad habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol can be avoided to reduce the chances of developing throat cancer, but in the end, one should get checked out on a regular basis. If it is caught in time, throat cancer need not be a life-threatening condition.
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