Throat cancer is a deadly cancer associated with the formation of a malignant tumor in the pharynx or larynx. The success of cancer treatment depends on how quickly the patient seeks medical attention. Different stages of throat cancer require different treatment approaches. That is why it is necessary to know what symptoms of throat cancer occur at different stages of the disease.
As you know, the first stage of tumor development responds best to treatment, but the chances of a favorable outcome exist even in the advanced stages of cancer. Let's talk about the early signs of throat cancer, how to determine the stage of tumor development, and what treatment is required at each of the stages.
Features of throat cancer
Cancer of the throat and larynx, in comparison with other cancers, is rare (about 2-5% of cases of cancer detection). There are several factors that significantly increase your risk of developing this disease. Among them:
smoking tobacco;- alcohol consumption;
- abuse of very hot foods and drinks;
- insufficient or unbalanced nutrition;
- frequent inhalation of contaminated air;
- viral factors (for example, infection with human papillomavirus, Epstein-Barr virus);
- genetic factors, i.e. hereditary predisposition to cancer.
smoking tobacco;Most throat cancer patients are elderly men. Perhaps this is due to the greater prevalence among men of such bad habits as smoking and alcoholism. In addition, it is often men who are forced to work in conditions of poor ventilation.
Despite the fact that the disease is very rare, throat cancer occupies a special place in medicine and requires increased attention. The danger of cancer of the pharynx and larynx is due to the fact that the throat is a multifunctional organ. So, the throat is involved in the processes of breathing, swallowing food, and the formation of speech sounds. When choosing a treatment, the doctor takes into account the potential risk of impairment of these functions, and selects the most gentle type of treatment.
What signs are taken into account when determining the stage of cancer?
When establishing the stage of development of oncological diseases, such key indicators are taken into account as:
- T (from the English tumor - tumor) - describes the size of the malignant neoplasm;
- N (from the English node - node) - shows whether cancer cells have spread to regional (i.e. located in the tumor area) lymph nodes;
- M (from the English metastasis - metastases) - determines the presence or absence of cancer cells in other organs.
Each indicator - T, N and M - is assigned a score on a scale from 0 to 4x. The larger the number, the more pronounced the indicator. For example, T1 describes a tumor that is smaller than T2; M0 indicates that there are no metastases, and M3 indicates that there are many of them.
After the scores are assigned to the indicators T, N and M, the doctor draws a conclusion about the stage of development of the oncological disease. The most common classification includes 4 stages of cancer development, which we will talk about next. It is possible to assess the degree of cancer development only after a full examination of the patient.
The size of the tumor is usually determined by pharyngoscopy (or laryngoscopy if the tumor is located in the larynx). In some cases, an ultrasound examination (ultrasound of the throat, larynx) or computed tomography is required.
The spread of cancer cells to the lymph nodes is evidenced by their enlargement and soreness.
Other studies may also be needed - a general clinical blood test, ultrasound of the lymph nodes, etc. The diagnosis of throat cancer should be confirmed by a histological examination of a fragment of the affected tissue.
Throat cancer - stages of the disease
Cancer develops gradually. The tumor grows in size, and cancer cells spread to other organs of the body. Usually there are 4 main stages in the development of the oncological process in the throat:
- The so-called stage zero cancer is a small collection of malignant cells that do not extend beyond the lining of the pharynx / larynx. At this stage, there are no symptoms of the disease, therefore it is also called "preclinical". Stage 0 cancer is detected by chance, when examining the pharynx or larynx by an otolaryngologist (for example, for prophylactic purposes). It should be noted that treatment started at the preclinical stage leads to complete recovery in almost 100% of cases.
- The first stage is a small tumor (up to 4 cm), cancer cells do not go beyond the affected organ (pharynx or larynx). There are no metastases, the lymph nodes are not affected. An example of a description of stage 1 cancer according to the TNM classification - T1, N0, M0.
- The second stage is characterized by a larger tumor size (about 7 cm) than at the first stage. However, there is no evidence of the spread of the tumor to the lymph nodes or adjacent organs. Example - T2, N0, M0.
- Stage 3 throat cancer is a large, rarely small tumor. The peculiarity of this stage is that cancer cells can spread to nearby organs or lymph nodes. This threatens a significant deterioration in the patient's condition and difficulties in treatment. Examples are T2, N1, M0 or T1, N2, M0.
- The fourth stage of the development of cancer is associated with the spread of cancer cells to nearby and distant organs (i.e., metastasis occurs). In this case, the size of the tumor can be either small or large. One or more lymph nodes are affected. Example - T 1-4, N 1-4, M1-4.
Cancer progresses at different rates in different people. In some cases, a small tumor is inert for years, and in others, metastasis occurs very quickly and the patient's condition is rapidly deteriorating.
The rate of development of cancer is largely determined by the characteristics of the patient's immune system, as well as his age. It is known that in young patients the disease progresses faster, since in youth, human cells, including cancer cells, divide much more often. This leads to rapid tumor growth and metastasis.
Early stage cancer symptoms
Early-stage cancers are usually defined as stage 1 or stage 2 cancers, which are characterized by small tumors and the absence of cancer cells in the lymph nodes and other organs. The early stages can be assigned the code T1-2, N0, M0. In such cases, you can often do without surgery, limiting yourself to radiation or chemotherapy.
Sometimes "early stage" cancer is called a tumor with damage to one nearby lymph node, if it can be removed surgically with minimal harm to the patient's health.
Thus, early stage cancer is called stage 1-2 tumors that have a favorable prognosis for treatment.
Indeed, with a timely visit to a doctor, the likelihood of a favorable outcome in throat cancer treatment exceeds 90%. What are the signs that should serve as a reason for contacting a polyclinic?
The most important sign that allows you to diagnose throat cancer at the earliest stages of development is a change in voice. However, this symptom appears only if the tumor affects the vocal cords.
If your voice has changed for no apparent reason, and does not recover within 2 weeks, consult an otolaryngologist.
Other symptoms that may occur with early-stage throat cancer include:
sore throat that bothers for a long time;- discomfort when swallowing;
- sensation of a foreign object in the throat;
- labored breathing;
- coughing;
- ear pain;
- tiredness, weakness.
sore throat that bothers for a long time;Finding yourself of any of these symptoms does not mean that you have throat cancer. Most likely, these disorders are caused by other factors - colds, overwork, etc. However, if such symptoms bother you for a long time, you should consult a doctor and find out their cause.
Stage III cancer
From the third stage, the symptoms of throat cancer become more pronounced. But, despite the significant progression of the oncological process, the patient may still not be aware of the presence of a tumor. What are the characteristics of stage III cancer?
The following are the most common symptoms:
- enlargement and soreness of the lymph nodes in the neck;
- putrid odor from the mouth;
- unpleasant taste in the mouth;
- sore throat, sometimes in the nose;
- persistent dry cough;
- the appearance of blood in saliva, hemoptysis;
- persistent foreign body sensation in the throat;
- violation of the act of swallowing (a person often gags while eating, cannot swallow solid food);
- weight loss (the cause can be both poor appetite and discomfort when swallowing);
- hoarseness or loss of voice.
Symptoms observed in cancer may vary, depending on the location of the tumor, its size, the patient's age, and the presence of concomitant diseases.
For example, if the tumor is located in the upper part of the pharynx, the sore throat is worse when swallowing, and if in the larynx, when talking.
At the third stage of cancer development, there is a risk of developing sepsis in the affected area. In addition, the patient may choke on food or blood. Thus, the third stage of the development of throat cancer requires urgent medical attention.
Stage four cancer
The clinical picture of stage IV throat cancer is very similar to stage III. General symptoms become more pronounced - constant fatigue, an increase in body temperature up to 37-37.5C, weight loss. Local symptoms are also aggravated. The patient suffers from constant sore throat, cannot eat and speak normally.
A feature of the fourth stage is the formation of metastases. They can be found in blood vessels, soft tissues, and internal organs.
Metastases significantly complicate treatment. Firstly, it is not always possible to identify them in time, and secondly, in order to stop this process, it is necessary to give the whole body a strong pharmacological effect - several courses of chemotherapy.
This stage is called terminal. But do not think that stage 4 throat cancer is a death sentence. Despite the severity of the disease, correct treatment leads to a successful outcome in more than 25% of cases.
Early Cancer Treatment
Stage 1 and 2 throat cancer responds well to therapeutic treatment - radiation and chemotherapy. Compared to surgery, the therapeutic treatment is more gentle.
However, prolonged courses of radiation or chemotherapy significantly harm the body, so if the tumor is large, it is removed, and then the patient undergoes a course of chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy is a method of treating cancer using pharmaceuticals that have a cytostatic effect. They slow down cell proliferation and, moreover, destroy the most actively multiplying cells. First of all, cancer suffers from this (cancer cells divide very often), as well as skin cells, hair, nails, intestinal mucosa, hematopoietic cells. That is why, during chemotherapy, patients complain of nausea, fatigue, hair loss, etc. The advantage of chemotherapy is its effect on the entire body. This plays a large role in cases where there is a suspicion of the presence of metastases in other organs.
Radiation therapy involves exposing the tumor to X-rays. Irradiation inhibits the growth of cells, their reproduction, leads to the development of irreversible processes in cancer cells, which ultimately leads to their death. Radiation therapy has some side effects such as mouth ulcers, dullness or loss of taste, smell, and fatigue.
If the tumor has reached a significant size and there is evidence of the spread of cancer cells to the lymph nodes or organs, a complex treatment is used, including several directions.
First, the tumor is surgically removed. Depending on its size and location, several options for the operation are possible:
- Removal of malignant cells. The operation is as gentle as possible, it is carried out using a laser or by scraping. Its implementation is possible if the tumor has not penetrated into the deep layers of the larynx / pharynx.
- Partial removal of soft tissues. When part of the larynx is removed, a person's speech may change, breathing noises and other complications may appear. Modern medicine is able to correct such consequences after the cancer recedes and the person recovers.
- Removal of the larynx or part of the pharynx. The procedure has dire consequences - loss of voice, breathing problems, etc. Nevertheless, such an operation can stop the oncological process and save a person's life.
Secondly, cancer cells in the lymph nodes are destroyed. If one or more nearby lymph nodes are affected, they are also removed surgically. Removing a large number of lymph nodes is not recommended (this can lead to big problems with the immune system in the future). If cancer cells affect multiple lymph nodes, they are irradiated but not removed.
The earlier treatment is started, the more favorable the outcome is. However, patients with advanced cancer diagnosed should not lose hope, because medicine is developing, and the survival rate for stage 3-4 cancer is constantly growing.
