Patient education: Throat cancer (The Basics)

What is throat cancer? — Throat cancer happens when normal cells in the throat change into abnormal cells and grow out of control. The throat includes the area from the back of the nose and mouth to the windpipe and esophagus (the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach) (figure 1).

There are different types of throat cancer, depending on the part of the throat and cells involved.

What are the symptoms of throat cancer? — Symptoms depend a lot on where in the throat the cancer is. They can include:

●Mouth sores or bleeding in the mouth

●A sore throat

●Trouble swallowing

●A hoarse voice

●A long-lasting cough or coughing up blood

●A lump in the neck

●Ear pain, hearing loss, or ringing in the ears

All of these symptoms can also be caused by conditions that are not throat cancer. But if you have these symptoms, tell your doctor or nurse.

Is there a test for throat cancer? — Yes. Your doctor or nurse will ask about your symptoms and do an exam. During the exam, they might use a special mirror to look in your throat.

Your doctor will also probably look down your throat using a "scope," which is a thin tube with a camera and light on the end. During this procedure, they might do a test called a biopsy. For a biopsy, the doctor takes a small sample of tissue from the area that looks like cancer. Then, another doctor looks at the sample under a microscope.

You might also have an imaging test, such as an MRI, CT, or PET scan. Imaging tests create pictures of the inside of the body.

What is cancer staging? — Cancer staging is a way in which doctors find out if a cancer has spread past the layer of tissue where it began, and, if so, how far.

The right treatment for you will depend a lot on the type and stage of your throat cancer and your other medical problems.

How is throat cancer treated? — Treatment for throat cancer involves 1 or more of the following:

●Surgery to remove the cancer – Sometimes, the surgeon needs to remove part of your throat in order to remove the cancer. If this happens, they will "rebuild" your throat during surgery.

●Chemotherapy – Chemotherapy is the medical term for medicines that kill cancer cells or stop them from growing.

●Radiation therapy – Radiation kills cancer cells.

After treatment with surgery or radiation, people can have problems chewing, eating, or talking. If this happens, you will have treatment called rehabilitation, or "rehab" for short. During rehab, doctors, nurses, and other health professionals will work with you on chewing, eating, and talking.

What happens after treatment? — After treatment, your doctor will check you every so often to see if the cancer comes back. Follow-up tests can include exams, blood tests, and imaging tests. People who are treated for throat cancer also need to take care of their teeth and see their dentist for regular follow-ups.

You should also watch for the symptoms listed above. Having those symptoms could mean your throat cancer has come back. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have any symptoms.

What happens if my throat cancer comes back or spreads? — If your throat cancer comes back or spreads, you might have more surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is the term doctors use for medicines that work with the body's infection-fighting system (the "immune system") to stop cancer growth.

What else should I do? — It's important to follow all of your doctor's instructions about visits and tests. It's also important to talk to your doctor about any side effects or problems you have during treatment.

Getting treated for throat cancer involves making many choices, such as what treatment to have. Always let your doctors and nurses know how you feel about a treatment. Any time you are offered a treatment, ask:

●What are the benefits of this treatment? Is it likely to help me live longer? Will it reduce or prevent symptoms?

●What are the downsides to this treatment?

●Are there other options besides this treatment?

●What happens if I do not have this treatment?

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