Symptoms of throat cancer in men are practically no different from the manifestations of this disease in women. Another thing is that in men this pathology is diagnosed almost 10 times more often.
This means that they should be much more attentive to their health and, if suspicious signs are detected, immediately contact a specialist.
Early diagnosis, based on the patient's knowledge of the symptoms, which at the beginning of its development manifests itself with laryngeal cancer is the best prognostic factor of all possible. Full recovery can be achieved in almost 100% of men in whom a malignant tumor in the throat was detected at the first stage of formation.
Primary signs
Symptoms that throat cancer usually show in the early stages of tumor formation are similar to those of a respiratory tract infection. That is why patients often do not pay attention to such signs, considering them a common cold.
The main diagnostic criterion here is the duration of such symptoms - a common respiratory tract infection is suppressed by the body's immunity in 7-8 days. If the patient's complaints persist longer, this is already a reason for a more thorough and in-depth examination.
Early signs of throat cancer in men are:
- violation of the sonority of the voice, the appearance of hoarseness;
- difficulties in the process of swallowing, associated with the appearance of unpleasant sensations;
- feeling of a lump in the throat or the presence of a foreign body there;
- periodic desire to swallow saliva, which does not bring relief;
- inconsistent, mild soreness in the throat, disappearing and reappearing within at least 14 days;
- sore throat that does not respond to traditional methods of treating inflammatory and infectious diseases;
- the appearance on the outer surface of the neck of a local swelling;
- sometimes - an increase in the cervical, submandibular and parotid lymph nodes.
Even the long-term presence of these symptoms does not mean the development of a cancerous tumor. But at the same time it is necessary to visit the ENT consultation - such manifestations clearly indicate any violation.
Symptoms characteristic of tumor progression
During this period, a malignant neoplasm begins to intensively affect the work of various organs and tissues located in the cervical region. In this case, throat cancer can be at different stages of development, and the severity and presence of certain symptoms is determined, first of all, by the location of the tumor, its size and direction of growth.
Of the most common manifestations, you can list:
- painful sensations of a dull, pressing character in the lower part of the neck, sometimes extending into the retrosternal space;
- breathing disorders in the form of shortness of breath and the appearance of extraneous noise;
- cough attacks that occur against the background of shortness of breath and are not stopped by taking pharmacological drugs;
- cough is sometimes accompanied by scanty discharge, often mixed with blood;
- long-term non-healing ulcerations on the mucous membranes of the throat, detected during a medical examination, or on the membranes of the oral cavity, which the patient can detect on their own;
- whitish or reddish spots on the mucous membranes of the palate and lips;
- the appearance of bad breath;
- neurological disorders on the skin of the face with loss of sensitivity in certain areas;
- pain in the hearing aid not relieved by drugs, without signs of inflammation.
Symptoms at different stages of throat cancer
First degree
At this stage, the malignant process is just beginning, and cancer cells are concentrated only in the epithelial layer of the mucous membranes of the throat. This stage has no clinical manifestations. The patient's well-being is completely preserved, and even during a medical examination by an ENT specialist, it is extremely difficult to identify the appeared minimal changes.
The only way to diagnose first-degree throat cancer is with a biopsy. A tissue sample is taken from the patient at a suspicious area, processed in a certain way, stained and examined under a microscope. Only in this case will a specialist histologist be able to detect a malignant neoplasm. But to perform a biopsy, it is necessary to have indications, and, first of all, clinical symptoms, which are not yet observed at this stage.
Important! If throat cancer still turns out to be detected at the initial stage of development, then a complete cure can be achieved in 100% of men.
Second degree
At this stage, the cancer begins to spread in the tissue layer where it was formed, gradually increasing in size. The surrounding organs have not yet been affected by the malignant process, but some clinical symptoms are already appearing. This is due to the fact that in the neck area all structures are located quite closely and the appearance of any "unauthorized" volumetric formation immediately affects the patient's well-being.
What exactly the primary symptom of a cancerous tumor will become is determined by the structure of the throat in which it originally arose, and by the direction in which the tumor began to grow. The most common manifestations at this stage:
- sensation of a foreign body in the larynx;
- voice changes due to displacement of the vocal cords;
- slight and transient discomfort in the throat;
- unpleasant feeling when swallowing.
Third degree
This is the stage of a detailed clinical picture of oncological lesions. At this stage, most patients seek medical help from a specialist, and after the examination, they are diagnosed. The malignant neoplasm is already spreading to neighboring organs and tissues, germinating on its way vascular and nerve bundles, the muscle layer, etc.
Symptoms of the third stage of throat cancer include:
severe painful sensations that do not respond to the effects of anesthetic drugs;- the appearance of a local swelling on the surface of the throat, which is determined by touch;
- enlargement of the surrounding lymph nodes;
- a sharp change in voice, up to the ability to speak only in a whisper or its complete loss (with active involvement of the vocal cords in the process);
- severe difficulty in swallowing caused by germination or squeezing of the pharyngeal structures by the tumor;
- breathing disorders due to the overlap of the airways by a neoplasm.
severe painful sensations that do not respond to the effects of anesthetic drugs;In the late period of the third stage, metastasis begins - the spread of tumor cells with blood or lymph flow. Just one malignant cell is enough for the formation of a secondary tumor node in a distant organ.
In throat cancer, metastases are most often found in the central nervous system, flat and tubular bones, bone marrow, lungs and liver.
Due to the intense malignant process, a symptom complex of small oncological signs begins to appear in a man. It is caused by general intoxication caused by the breakdown of tumor tissues, and includes:
- loss of body weight;
- changes in the blood test;
- increased weakness and fatigue;
- constant subfebrile (up to 37.50C) body temperature;
- inability to concentrate;
- decreased performance;
- headaches, etc.
Fourth degree
At this stage, the tumor has already affected not only the larynx, but almost the entire rest of the body, including multiple foci on the peritoneum, in the chest cavity, limbs and small pelvis. The patient's condition is extremely difficult, he has cachexia - an extreme degree of exhaustion. All symptoms of laryngeal cancer are maximally expressed, and in addition to them, disorders caused by damage to other organs and systems are added. Treatment in this case is only symptomatic, and the prognosis is unfavorable.
