What You Need to Know About Throat Cancer?
A type of cancer that is formed on the larynx, or laryngeal carcinoma this meaning it is the formation of cancerous tumors on the throat, it may affect all of some of the following: the voice box, oesophagus and tonsils, the nasopharynx, this is the upper part of the throat behind the nose same as the oropharynx which is the middle part of the pharynx and the hypopharynx being the bottom part of the pharynx.
Michael Douglas, Lula da Silva, and Sylvia Kristel… what do they have in common? Sadly They either suffer or have recovered from throat cancer.
Throat Cancer when Cancer cells Develop in throat, Tonsils or Voice Box. This Happens when Cancer cells start to develop uncontrollably and continue living beyond the point that normal cells would die, so they keep developing and make a tumor in the throat .
Facts:
- It affects more men than women.
- Its most commonly seen in people over the age of 50.
Causes:
- 80% of the cases are produced by tobacco or HPV infections
- HPV infections are contracted during oral contact.
- Heavy alcohol consumption. People who drink too much have a risk of cancer several times greater than those who do not drink alcohol in an abusive way.
- The combination of alcohol and tobacco use greatly multiplies the likelihood of developing throat cancer.
- Poor nutrition may increase the risk of cancer
- Weakened immune system
- Incidence by ethnicity or race. Throat cancer is more common among non-Hispanic whites and blacks than Asians and Latinos.
The symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing swallowing or speaking: hoarseness
- Migraines
- Ear pain
- A swelling or lump in the throat
- A persistent cough
- Consistent phlegm
- The sensation of something stuck in the throat
- Throat pain
- Swollen lymph glands
Types:
- Nasopharyngeal cancer
- Oropharyngeal cancer
- Hypopharyngeal cancer
- Glottic cancer
- Supraglottic cancer
- Subglottic cancer
Treatment:
Treatment will depend on the stage of the cancer, size of the tumor and the location as well.
Type of treatments:
• Surgery –through surgery the cancerous tumor is removed, there might be:
removal of the thyroid, tissue or muscle, or the entire larynx, tongue in some cases lymph glands.
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy.
• surgery followed by radiotherapy, or chemo-radiotherapy
• Assistance from a dietitian, speech therapist and physiotherapist. Social
workers, counsellors and clinical psychologists.
