Throat Cancer – Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Sudden development of mild symptoms of throat cancer can be a worrisome affair for some people. However, before jumping ignorantly into the pretext that you or your near ones may have developed this disease, you should know every aspect of it.

So, here is a comprehensive guide for you regarding this disease. Read on to know about the risks, symptoms, stages and prevention of this cancer.

Throat cancer develops in the pharynx (throat muscles) or in the larynx (voice box). When cells inside these grow abnormally, they develop a malignant tumour. However, at this stage, individuals may fail to recognise this phenomenon. 

After the rapid growth of these abnormal cells, malignant tumours or cancer is formed within the throat. After formation, the cancerous cells invade nearby muscles, resulting in a rapid spread of this disease.

Consequently, individuals affected by this cancer show several symptoms, as mentioned right below.

Signs and symptoms of this disease may vary according to its stages. Here is a list of signs of throat cancer separated according to early and advanced stages –

Symptoms of Throat Cancer- First Stage

At an early stage, the affected person may encounter the following signs –

• Vocal Changes: Individuals may see a drastic change in their voice which may sound strained and huskier. Further, they may also find it difficult to utter certain words.
• Problems in Swallowing: They may feel pain or severe burning sensation while swallowing foods.
• Sore Throat: Patients feel immense pain in their throat for a prolonged period at the early stage of this cancer.

Symptoms of Throat Cancer- Advanced Stage

As the severity rises at advanced stages, symptoms also intensify. Symptoms at this stage are –

• Swollen Lymph: Lymph nodes become swollen after the growth of cancerous cells inside the throat. Therefore, one may see a bulge on his or her neck.
• Problems in Breathing: This cancer creates a barrier inside one’s windpipe or oesophagus because of the swollen gland, which hampers the natural airflow. So, they face difficulties in breathing comfortably.
• Weight Loss: Weight loss is the direct impact of patients' severe pain in swallowing food.

However, apart from these, throat cancer causes the following associated symptoms as well –

• Headache
• Pain in ear
• Intense coughing that may cause bleeding
• Nosebleed
• Patches inside the mouth or on the tongue

Cancer in the throat may develop as a result of the following factors –

• Chewing tobacco for an extended period or overconsumption of alcohol are the major causes of throat cancer.
• HPV or Human Papillomavirus may also cause cancer in the throat, tongue and tonsil.
• Patients suffering from GERD can also be vulnerable to this cancer.
• Additionally, throat cancer can result from extended exposure to harmful chemical substances like nickel, asbestos, and sulphuric acid fumes.

Here is the list of individuals who are at higher risk of developing throat cancer–

• Studies have found that individuals above the age of 55 are more akin to getting this disease.
• People with a family history of this disease may develop the signs of throat cancer.
• Men are five times more susceptible to getting this disease than women.

The treatment procedures of this cancer are as mentioned below –

1. Chemotherapy

Doctors treat throat cancer with chemotherapy drugs after incising a tumour through surgery. They prescribe these medicines to destroy the remaining cancerous cells in the throat.

2. Radiation Therapy

In radiation therapy, surgeons use X-rays and other radioactive elements to eliminate or reduce malignant cancerous cells.

3. Chemoradiation

As the name suggests, chemoradiation combines both radiation and chemotherapy. Sometimes, patients are not healthy enough to tolerate the aftereffects of surgery. It helps them cure cancers in the throat without going through painful surgeries.

4. Surgery

Surgery is the most effective treatment for throat cancer at stage 1. However, at an advanced stage, surgeons combine radiation or chemotherapy along with surgery to eliminate cancer-causing cells. The primary purpose of therapies is to shrink the tumour size before surgery.

5. Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is the only viable treatment for throat cancer when patients’ cancerous cells fail to respond to therapies and surgery, as mentioned above. In this therapy, doctors target to utilise the human body's immune system to fight killer cancerous cells.

The best way to prevent this disease is to abstain from everything that causes throat cancer. Primarily, individuals need to change their lifestyle habits.

Here is the list of things that one can follow to reduce the chances of being affected –

• Quitting Smoking
• Moderate Alcohol Consumption
• Protection from HPV
• Eating Healthy Foods