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Throat Cancer Overview of Throat Cancer
Throat cancer is also known as cancer of the larynx and it affects the voice box and the surrounding tissues. Cancer of the throat accounts for about 1 in every 100 cancer cases in men and around 6 out of every 10 cases develop on the vocal chords. If the cancer is on the cords then symptoms of throat cancer are experienced early and rapid diagnosis can be made. This mans that treatment can start immediately and the survival rate for throat cancer stays high. Unfortunately when the cancer isn’t on the vocal cords it is a lot harder to diagnose and is much more likely to be fatal.
Risk Factors of Throat Cancer
The cause of throat cancer is not known but it may be associated with smoking, particularly when it is combined with alcohol abuse. It is most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 55 and 65 however because some cases don’t cause the obvious signs of throat cancer they are not diagnosed until they progress to a late stage i.e. stage 4 throat cancer, and this may mean that the condition has been present for a number of years and the sufferer is well into their 70s when they discover they have cancer.
There does not seem to be a genetic factor associated with throat cancer and so having a family member with the condition does not predispose someone to it. It does however seem to be biased towards the male gender and it is around 5 times more common in males than females.
Signs and Symptoms of Throat Cancer
The symptoms of throat cancer differ according to whether the vocal cords are affected or not. If a tumour develops on the vocal cords then the first noticeable throat cancer symptom is hoarseness. If the cancer remains undetected for a length of time then it may spread above and below the vocal cords causing symptoms such as:
- Loud breathing.
- Difficulty breathing even at rest.
- Painful swallowing that becomes more difficult with time.
Any cancer of the throat can easily spread to the nearby lymph nodes and this will cause them to swell and become noticeable as lumps on the sides of the neck just below the jaw line.
Treatment for Throat Cancer
The specialist will need to have some good throat cancer pictures so that he/she can develop a suitable course of treatment. These will be provided during a laryngoscopy. If the cancer is confined to the vocal cords, which it is in around 9 out of every 10 cases then radiotherapy will be the first line of attack and fortunately when throat cancer is detected early, treatment is very often successful.
Occasionally however this treatment doesn’t work and surgery is required to remove the larynx, or voice box. This means that normal speech is no longer possible and a permanent laryngectomy is required, which is a hole made in the windpipe that maintains the airway necessary for breathing. Following surgery, radiotherapy will be needed again in order to kill any stray cancerous cells that were growing outside of the larynx.
Having the larynx removed is a major decision and as much information on the throat cancer case needs to be gained before anything is decided. If the cancer has spread and is thought to be terminal then there is very little reason to remove the larynx and make the final months of the patient even worse than they need to be.
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