There are four different stages of throat cancer. At the early stage, the cancer is confined to the throat only, growing to a size of two centimeters. During the later stages, the cancer has spread to distant organs and lymph nodes.
Treatment for throat cancer can be extensive and life-altering. The treatments may cause voice changes and difficulty swallowing, and the patient may be forced to endure months or years of discomfort. However, the good news is that throat cancer is very treatable and the chances of survival are high. Proper diet and smoking avoidance can reduce the risk of developing throat cancer. Besides that, there are a number of ways to reduce the severity of the side effects associated with throat cancer treatment.
If throat cancer is not treated quickly, it can spread to other parts of the body. This is known as metastasis, and the cancer cells break off and travel throughout the body’s blood and lymph system. Most local cancer recurrences are caused by unidentified “micro-metastases.”
In addition to cancer, there are several other conditions that can develop in the mouth and throat. Aside from oral cancer, you can also develop a premalignant condition called leukoplakia. This type of lesion is not cancer, but it can develop into it if left untreated. For example, if you notice a white patch on your gums, it could be a symptom of a fungal infection. In rare cases, it could be a sign of a benign oral disease, such as lichen planus.
There are different types of treatments for throat cancer, depending on the stage of the disease. Early-stage cancers can be treated with surgery or radiation therapy. More advanced stage cancers spread to lymph nodes in the neck. Up to 70% of throat cancer patients already have an advanced stage of disease at the time of their initial diagnosis. In addition to surgery, your healthcare provider may perform other procedures to treat the disease. One of the surgical options for throat cancer is pharyngoscopy. This surgical procedure helps remove the cancer as much as possible while preserving the larynx. In some cases, your healthcare provider may recommend chemotherapy and/or surgery before surgery to help you manage your symptoms.
If you have a history of HPV infection, you are at increased risk of developing throat cancer. HPV can be transmitted to the mouth by oral sex and is associated with about 60% of throat cancers. While you should have sex with as many as five or six partners to reduce your risk of throat cancer, there are a few other risk factors that may put you at higher risk of developing the disease. The more oral sex partners you have, the more likely you are to develop HPV-related cancer.
