Throat Cancer - A Brief Overview

Throat cancer cases make up between 5 to 7 percent of all new cancer cases in the United States. The majority of throat cancer cases occur to people older than the age of 50. Twice as many men are diagnosed with throat cancer than women. Fortunately, the money spent on educating the public about throat cancer was well spent because the number of deaths due to throat cancer has been on the decline since the 1980s.

Throat cancer can develop anywhere in the throat such as the vocal cords or the glottis. The throat is a hollow tube that extends from the rear of the mouth to the esophagus. There are throat cancers that are more aggressive, depending on their location. Cancerous tumors that are located above or below the glottis spread more quickly than cancerous tumors located anywhere else. Throat cancer usually develops in the middle part of the throat, right behind the tongue. This area is called the oropharynx and is part of the pharynx. About 90 percent of throat cancers are squamous cell cancers. Squamous cells, such as skin and mucous membranes, are the surface cells that line the body. Squamous cell cancer is a form of cancer where tumors are located on squamous cells. These cancerous squamous cells can penetrate the deeper layers below the squamous layer and spread to other parts of the body. These cells can multiply and kill off healthy cells. If these cells are not prevented from multiplying, this condition can be fatal.

If you want to know whether or not you have throat cancer, you should familiarize yourself with some of the symptoms that might appear. If the symptoms are detected early enough, the throat cancer can be successfully treated. The purpose of the treatment will be to destroy the cancerous cells before they spread to the other parts of the body. The more common throat cancer symptoms include an enlarged lymph node on the outside of the neck, a persistent sore throat, difficulty swallowing or breathing, a change in the tone of your voice and a hoarseness in your voice. Other symptoms that you should look out for include blood in the saliva, a persistent earache or cough, nosebleeds and headaches. If the throat cancer spreads, the symptoms will get worse. A person facing this situation might have greater difficulties breathing or swallowing. This person might also lose their voice or ability to speak. His or her face might look disfigured and their skin might look deformed. At this stage, the throat cancer can be very difficult to treat.

Medical researchers have been unable to identify the precise cause of throat cancer. However, they have been able to determine that tobacco can cause damage to the cells in the lining of the throat. A tumor can form if enough of these damaged cells accumulate. They have also been able to determine that alcohol makes it easier for tobacco to damage these cells. This is why a person who both smokes and drinks is more likely to get throat cancer than someone who only smokes. Numerous studies also indicate that long-term exposure to asbestos, diesel fuel, or coal dust can also increase your chances of getting throat cancer.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Throat Cancer

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