Those who smoke or use tobacco are at risk of developing throat cancer. Also, excessive alcohol consumption over an extended period of time increases risk. Smoking and drinking alcohol combined lead to an increased risk of throat cancer. The majority of throat cancers develop in adults older than 50. Men are more likely than women to develop throat cancer. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection (the same virus that causes genital warts) account for a larger number of oral cancers than in the past. One type of HPV, type 16 or HPV-16, is much more commonly associated with almost all oral cancers.
Symptoms of throat cancer include:
Abnormal (high-pitched) breathing sounds, cough, coughing up blood, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness that does not get better in 3-4 weeks, neck or ear pain, sore throat that doesn’t get better in 2-3 weeks even with antibiotics, swelling or lumps in the neck, and weight loss not as a result of dieting. Your physician will perform a physical exam. This may show a lump on the outside of the neck. Your physician may look in your throat or nose using a flexible tube with a small camera at the end. Other tests may include a biopsy of the suspected tumor. The tissue will also be tested for HPV. Additionally, a chest X-ray, CT scan of the chest, CT scan of the head and neck, MRI of the head or neck and a PET Scan may be ordered.
The goal of treatment is to completely remove the cancer and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the body. When the tumor is small, either surgery or radiation therapy alone can be used to remove the tumor. When the tumor is larger or has spread to lymph nodes in the neck, a combination of radiation and chemotherapy is often used to save the voice box (vocal cords). If that is not possible, the voice box is removed. This surgery is called a laryngectomy. Depending on what type of treatment is required, your doctor might suggest speech therapy, therapy to help with chewing and swallowing, learning to eat enough protein and calories to keep your weight up and help with dry mouth.
Throat cancers may be cured when detected early. If the cancer has not spread (metastasized) to surrounding tissues or lymph nodes in the neck, about 50% of patients can be cured. If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and parts of the body outside the head and neck, the cancer is not curable. Treatment is aimed at prolonging and improving the quality of life. It is possible but not completely proven that cancers that test positive for HPV may have better outlooks. Also, people who smoked for less than 10 years may do better. After treatment, therapy is needed to help with speech and swallowing. If the person is not able to swallow, a feeding tube is needed. The recurrence risk in throat cancer is highest during the first 2-3 years of diagnosis.