Learn More. Throat cancer is a rare form of cancer that develops in the throat, larynx or tonsils. It can develop quickly, which is why early diagnosis is key to successful treatment. Individuals who identify with one or more of these risk factors and have potential symptoms of throat cancer for longer than a week should be evaluated by a physician, who can conduct a full physical exam and determine if further testing for throat cancer is warranted.
The most common test for throat cancer is a laryngoscopy, which many doctors can perform in their office. If the test reveals abnormalities, the next step is to consult with a specialist for a biopsy and further testing.
Moffitt Cancer Center offers comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment for throat cancer under one roof. Our Head and Neck Cancer Program comprises a wide range of specialists, from medical oncologists to emotional support providers and more, that work together to develop individualized treatment plans for our patients.
Patients also have access to a variety of supportive care services, such as counseling and tobacco treatment, to help them through their cancer journey and beyond. Stage III and stage IV throat cancers are more likely to come back after initial treatment than earlier-stage cancers. Throat Cancer Stages. Types of Throat Cancer. Throat Cancer Diagnosis. Overview Throat Cancer Stages.
Throat Cancer Treatment. Living Beyond Throat Cancer. Throat Cancer Clinical Trials. Hear from a Throat Cancer Patient. Our team of surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, and other specialists provides personalized care for people with throat cancer. The tumor may be any size, but it has spread to: nearby tissue, such as the neck, trachea, thyroid, esophagus, jaw, mouth, or other locations one large lymph node more than three centimeters in size on the same side of the neck as the tumor, multiple lymph nodes of any size on the same side of the neck as the tumor, or one lymph node of any size on the side of the neck opposite the tumor distant parts of the body beyond the throat, such as the lungs.
If examination of the tissue from the first Mohs surgical stage reveals cancerous involvement of the margin, then an additional tissue specimen is removed from the appropriately mapped area, and the process is repeated until cancer free margins are achieved. Although this technique has been used for over 50 years, there is still debate regarding its relative merits over conventional surgery.
Conventional surgery usually requires large initial margins with later examination under the microscope. This technique involves removal of only the primary lymph node that drains the affected area, called the sentinel lymph node. In a SLNB, a radiolabeled dye is injected into the tissue near the cancer and allowed to drain into the lymph nodes.
The sentinel lymph node is the first node that the dye reaches. Surgery is then performed to remove this lymph node, which is then examined under a microscope to determine if any cancer exists. SLNB was conduced in nine male patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. In 7 out of 9 patients, detection of the sentinel lymph node was successful. On examination of the sentinel lymph node under a microscope, cancer cells were found in 5 patients.
The technique is still in development to resolve problems such as the short distance between the primary injection site and the lymph nodes and the influence of the cancer on uptake of the radiolabeled dye. Photodynamic Therapy: In photodynamic therapy, light from a laser enhanced by photosensitizing agents, can kill cancer cells without damage to normal cells.
The basic technique is over 50 years old but the past 5 years have seen the development of reliable, portable lasers and better photosensitizing agents. These advances have made the technique quick, effective, and relatively free from side-effects. For patients with head and neck cancer, functional outcomes with photodynamic therapy are probably better than surgery and radiation therapy.
However, there is inadequate long-term survival data at this time. An advantage of photodynamic therapy is that it can usually be given to outpatients under local anesthesia. Patients receive intravenous temoporfin, followed 4 days later by brief laser illumination of the cancer site. Photosensitivity takes 2—3 weeks to resolve, during which time patients must avoid bright light.
There was also significant post-treatment pain, which can require pain medication with opiates. All Rights Reserved. Treatment Modalities Treatment of throat cancer is multi-modality in nature.
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