Throat cancer is cancer that develops from the tissue of the throat. The main symptoms are a change in voice, difficulty swallowing, and a sore throat.
The throat is a channel that plays an important role in the digestive and respiratory processes. As a respiratory tract, the throat functions to drain air from the nose to the trachea, and vice versa.
In the digestive process, the throat plays a role in the process of swallowing and transporting food from the mouth to the esophagus.
Throat Cancer
Throat cancer can develop in the parts and tissues that make up the throat, including the tonsils or tonsils and the larynx (which contains the vocal cords). Throat cancer can attack the pharynx, larynx, and tonsils.
Causes of Throat Cancer
Throat cancer occurs due to changes or gene mutations in the cells of the throat. These mutations trigger the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells.
The cause behind the mutation process is not known for certain, but there are a number of factors that are thought to increase a person's risk of developing throat cancer, namely:
- Have a smoking habit
- Having alcohol addiction
- Having an infection with the HPV virus (human papillomavirus) or acid reflux disease (GERD)
- Have a dental health condition that is not well maintained
- Have a habit of consuming less fruit and vegetables
- Have a weak immune system, for example due to HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, or taking immunosuppressant drugs
- Suffering from hereditary diseases, such as Fanconi anemia or ataxia telangiectasia
Throat Cancer Symptoms
When cancer cells begin to grow and develop, symptoms and complaints will appear. Complaints and symptoms that can occur when someone has throat cancer include:
- Difficult to swallow
- Hoarseness
- Speak up
- Chronic cough
- Sore throat
- Painful or buzzing ears
- Lump on neck
- Drastic weight loss
Throat cancer can occur in any part or tissue of the throat. If divided according to the affected part, there are several types of throat cancer that can occur, namely:
Pharyngeal cancer, which is cancer that grows and develops in the pharynx (the windpipe from the back of the nose to the beginning of the trachea)
Laryngeal cancer, which is cancer that grows and develops in the larynx or the part of the throat that contains the vocal cords
Tonsil cancer, which is cancer that grows and develops in the tonsil tissue which is also in the throat
When to go to the doctor
Immediately consult a doctor if you experience the above symptoms, especially if the symptoms do not improve or get worse. The symptoms of throat cancer can be similar to those of other respiratory tract diseases, especially in its early stages.
Throat cancer diagnosed at an early stage is easier to treat than throat cancer that has entered an advanced stage.
HPV infection is a risk factor for throat cancer. If you are at risk of getting HPV, such as unsafe sexual behavior, talk to your doctor about whether you need the HPV vaccine.
A person needs to maintain healthy teeth and mouth. In addition to preventing the emergence of dental disease, maintaining dental health can also reduce the risk of throat cancer.
To maintain dental and oral health, it is recommended that you regularly brush your teeth and have your teeth checked by a dentist every 6 months.
If you have been diagnosed with throat cancer, you need to regularly check with your doctor during treatment. You also still need regular check-ups with your doctor after treatment is complete, so that if the disease reappears, it can be detected early.
Throat Cancer Diagnosis
In the early stages of diagnosis, the doctor will ask about the patient's symptoms and medical history, as well as the patient's habits that can influence symptoms or trigger symptoms, such as smoking and drinking alcohol. The doctor will also perform a physical examination.
If the patient is suspected of having throat cancer, the doctor will recommend a more detailed examination to confirm the diagnosis. These types of inspections include:
Nasoendoscopy
This examination is carried out by an ENT doctor to see the condition of the throat by using a tool such as a tube equipped with a camera. An instrument called an endoscope will be inserted through the nose until it reaches the throat.
Throat tissue biopsy
A biopsy is done by taking a sample of throat tissue and then examining it in a laboratory. Throat tissue samples were taken using an endoscope.
Scan
Scans are used to determine the extent of the spread of throat cancer. The scanning method used can be in the form of X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, or PET scans.
Throat Cancer Stage
After the patient undergoes a throat cancer examination, the doctor can determine the stage of the throat cancer suffered by the patient. The stage of cancer is important to know so that the treatment given is appropriate
Based on the severity and spread, throat cancer can be divided into 5 stages, namely:
Stage 0
At this stage, the tumor is only found in the tissue of the upper throat wall.
Stage 1
At this stage, the tumor is small (less than 2 cm) and only invades the tissue of the throat where the tumor started.
Stage 2
At this stage, the tumor is about 2-4 cm in size, and has spread to the surrounding tissue.
Stage 3
At this stage, the tumor is larger than 4 cm and has spread to the tissues near the throat, including the lymph nodes.
Stage 4
At this stage, the tumor has spread to tissues or organs outside the throat (metastasized).
Throat Cancer Treatment
Treatment of throat cancer depends on the stage of the cancer as well as the patient's overall health condition. Early detection and treatment is the key to treating throat cancer.
The following are some common throat cancer treatment methods:
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is a cancer treatment method using high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. Radiotherapy rays can come from an external device (external radiotherapy) or can be placed inside the body near the cancer site (internal radiotherapy).
If the cancer is still in its early stages, sometimes radiotherapy alone is effective enough to treat it. Meanwhile, in advanced cancer, radiotherapy is done only to reduce symptoms and slow the development of cancer.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the administration of drugs to kill cancer cells. Some types of drugs commonly used for chemotherapy are cisplatin, paclitaxel, gemcitabine, capecitabine, fluorouracil, or carboplatin.
Chemotherapy can be combined with radiotherapy. This is done because there are several types of chemotherapy drugs that are more effective when accompanied by radiotherapy. However, it can also increase the side effects of both therapies.
Operation
Surgery is a method of treating throat cancer by surgically removing cancerous tissue. The ENT doctor will determine the type of surgery needed based on the stage and location of the cancer. These types of operations include:
Pharyngectomy
This procedure is performed to remove part or all of the cancerous pharynx.
Laryngectomy
This surgery is performed by removing part or all of the larynx (voice box) that has cancer. A laryngectomy may be performed to treat early or late stage throat cancer.
Not only through an open incision, surgery to remove cancer cells can be done with the help of an endoscope. This procedure is usually done when the cancer is still in its early stages.
In addition to removing cancerous tissue, surgery can also be performed to remove lymph nodes near the cancer site, if cancer cells have spread to the lymph nodes. If needed, the tissue around the throat that has been attacked by cancer cells will also be removed.
Targeted drug therapy
Targeted drug therapy is carried out using specific drugs to prevent gene changes or mutations. The drug used in targeted drug therapy is cetuximab. This therapy can be given with chemotherapy.
Throat cancer treatment methods can cause various complications and side effects, such as impaired ability to speak, eat, or swallow.
To maximize the treatment of throat cancer, patients are also advised to adopt a healthy lifestyle, not smoking, and not consuming alcohol.
In addition to reducing the effectiveness of treatment, smoking and alcohol can slow down the recovery process and increase the risk of throat cancer recurrence.
Throat Cancer Prevention
Throat cancer can be prevented by avoiding the risk factors. Some steps to prevent throat cancer include:
- Quit smoking.
- Stop or reduce alcohol consumption.
- Get vaccinated against HPV.
- Have safe sex to prevent HPV infection.
- Increase consumption of vegetables and fruit.