The term “throat cancer” refers to the development of cancerous tumors within the throat, otherwise known as the pharynx, or the voice box, known as the larynx. A muscular tube that starts behind your nose and ends somewhere in your neck, your throat can be affected by cancer, just like many other parts of the human body. Often, most throat cancers begin within the flat cells that line the inside of the throat.
Many forms of cancer do not produce many signs but discovering early throat cancer symptoms can help you to obtain the treatment you need as quickly as possible, therefore increasing your chances of recovery.
Voice Changes and Hoarseness:
One of the most common early throat cancer symptoms that patients experience is a change in the voice or hoarseness. This is particularly evident within laryngeal cancers that form around the vocal cords. This change can lead to certain throat cancers being found at a very early stage, so if you find that you have symptoms of hoarseness or changes in voice that do not improve within two weeks, you should see your doctor immediately.
For cancers that do not involve the vocal cords, instances of hoarseness may only occur when the cancer reaches a much later stage, or spreads onto the vocal cords. Sometimes, these cancers may not be found until they spread into the lymph nodes and cause a mass to grow on the neck.
Other Early Throat Cancer Symptoms And First Signs:
Cancers that begin in the area above the vocal cords or the area below the vocal cords may not cause any voice changes, and therefore are often discovered at much later stages, with the emergence of different symptoms. The signs to watch for with these cancers may include: constant coughing, trouble or pain swallowing, issues with breathing, sore throats, ear pain, weight loss, or a sudden mass or lump in the neck.
It is important to make an appointment with your doctor as early as possible if you notice any new symptoms or signs of ill health that are persistent because these could represent early throat cancer symptoms. Most of the symptoms of throat cancer aren’t specific to cancer, so don’t jump to conclusions, and allow your doctor to investigate more common or more likely causes first.
Forms of Throat Cancer:
The term “throat cancer” is very general and applies to cancer that may develop throughout the voice box or throat. While most throat cancers will involve the presence of the same type of abnormal cells, different terms may be used to identify the cancer in a certain part of the throat wherein the cancer originated. For example, nasopharyngeal cancer begins in the part of the throat just behind your nose, whereas oropharyngeal cancer begins in the area of your throat just behind your mouth.
Glottic cancer will begin in the vocal cords, whereas hypopharyngeal cancer will begin in the lower part of the throat, just above the windpipe and esophagus. Subglottic cancer begins in the lower portion of the voice box, just beneath the vocal cords. Finally, supraglottic cancer begins within the upper part of the larynx, and affects the epiglottis, which is a piece of cartilage that stops food from entering the windpipe.
