Throat Cancer

What Is Throat Cancer?

Any kind of cancer that starts in the middle part of the head and neck (oropharynx), from the back of the mouth to the bottom of the throat (hypopharynx), is called throat cancer. This part of the throat has the base of the tongue, the tonsils, the soft palate, the point where the throat meets the windpipe (trachea), and the start of the food pipe.

Throat cancer: What is it?

There are many genetic, lifestyle, and random factors that can cause long-lasting genetic mutations in the cells of the region. This can cause cells to grow in a way that isn’t normal, which can eventually turn into a malignant tumor that affects body functions and could spread to other parts of the body, like the brain, liver, lungs, or bones.

Many kinds of throat cancer

What kinds of throat cancer are there?

Throat cancer is mostly put into groups based on where it starts. Besides cancers of the voice box and vocal cords, there are other main types of throat cancer, such as:

Oropharyngeal cancer is when the base of the tongue, tonsils, or soft mouth get cancer.
Hypopharyngeal cancer is cancer of the lower part of the throat, where the throat and windpipe meet.
Do you want to learn more about the different kinds of throat cancer? Read the whole list of types of throat cancer.

How to tell if you have throat cancer:
In general, what are the signs and symptoms of throat cancer?
Most of the time, these are the signs of throat cancer:

Having a lump in your throat
No relief from a sore throat
No matter what, your voice will change. It could get hoarse or hot (potato voice).
Having trouble eating
Sucking with pain
Having pain in your jaw or ears
Quick weight loss that can’t be explained (without following a diet or working out)
Neck swell up
Read our full piece on the subject to learn more about all the signs and symptoms of throat cancer.

Signs that you might get throat cancer:
What are the most common things that put people at risk for throat cancer?
Using tobacco (smoking or biting) and drinking too much booze have been found to be the most common ways that people get throat cancer. Besides these, the following are some less important risk factors for throat cancer:

Being around asbestos
Being around wood dust
Being close to paint fumes
History of plummer-vinson syndrome, a rare disease that makes it hard to swallow and may raise the risk of getting hypopharyngeal cancer.
Having the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a big reason why people get oropharyngeal cancer, mainly cancer of the lips and base of the tongue.
Read our full piece on the subject to learn more about what might cause throat cancer and what makes you more likely to get it.