Throat Cancer

Throat cancer is the general term for cancer that affects one or more parts of your throat. Usually, people who have throat cancer have cancer in their larynx (voice box) or their oropharynx (the middle part of their throat). Healthcare providers typically use surgery to treat throat cancer. The specific surgery depends on the type of throat cancer, location and whether it has spread.

Is throat cancer common?

There are several types of throat cancer. The two most common throat cancer types are laryngeal cancer and oropharyngeal cancer. Laryngeal cancer affects your larynx (voice box). Oropharyngeal cancer affects the middle part of your throat. In 2022, about 54,000 people were expected to be diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer and about 12,000 people were expected to be diagnosed with laryngeal cancer. (For comparison, about 290,560 women and men were expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer.) Here is more information about these two common throat cancer types:

Laryngeal cancer: This is cancer in your voice box. This cancer affects more men than women. It typically affects people aged 55 and older. Laryngeal cancer can start in different parts of your larynx. Overall, between 46% and 72% of people diagnosed with some form of laryngeal cancer are alive five years after diagnosis.
Oropharyngeal cancer: This cancer affects the part of your throat that’s right behind your mouth. Twice as many men as women develop oropharyngeal cancer. It typically affects people aged 63 and older. About 50% of people diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer are alive five years after diagnosis.

What are other throat cancer types?

Hypopharyngeal cancer: This cancer affects the part of your throat that’s just above your esophagus and windpipe.
Nasopharyngeal cancer: This is a rare type of throat cancer. It affects the part of your throat that’s just behind your nose.
Supraglottic cancer: This cancer starts in the upper part of your larynx. It can affect your epiglottis, the cartilage that keeps food from going into your windpipe. About 35% of all laryngeal cancers start in your supraglottis.
Glottic cancer: This is cancer in your vocal cords. Your vocal cords are in the middle part of your larynx. More than half of all laryngeal cancers start here.
Subglottic cancer: This cancer starts below your vocal cords in the lower part of your voice box. About 5% of all laryngeal cancers start here.

Symptoms

When to see a doctor

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Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.

The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:

High blood pressure.
Diabetes.
Heart failure.
Some types of heart valve disease.

Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:

Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Don't smoke or use tobacco.
Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Reduce and manage stress.

By Freedmans Health Clinic Staff

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