A new killer to male healthy: throat cancer

Throat cancer tends to develop in an age range of 50-70 and its incidence takes up 1-5% among all the cancers. Because of environmental changes and unhealthy living habits, the incidence of throat cancer in young people increases year by year. Unfortunately, the number of male patients is nearly 3-8 times higher than the females, as those male patients normally have been smoking and drinking alcohol for years. Apart from that, throat cancer is also related to living habits and environmental factors. If an old heavy smoker changes his voice greatly, he should mind that can be cancer.

Throat diseases cases increase when winter comes and you may slip up and cause the irretrievable damages. Both Mr. Li and Mr. Zhao are in the 50s and have been smoking and drinking alcohol for years. When throat problem came, Mr. Li turned to doctor early and removed the tumor when it was in early stage, thus the functions of throat was kept. But Mr. Zhao, who paid no attention, has missed the best time for treatment that his doctor can only remove his throat.

How to detect throat cancer early?

The primary cancer specialist Dr. Peng Xiaochi from Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou said, generally, if a patient develops the symptoms below should be alert about cancer.

Obstinate hoarse voice: hoarse voice is the earliest and typical sign of throat cancer. Because the tumor is in vocal cord, even a little tumor can cause hoarse voice. The adults, who have experienced hoarse throat for over half month, should have careful examinations. But some patients will choose herbal tea and take the mind that it is only some inflammation in throat as the absence of other discomfort.

Abnormal sensation felt in throat: the typical early symptoms of supraglottic cancer include foreign body sensation, stress or discomfort in swallow, which in early stage are insidious that most cases are diagnosed in late stages. When ascend to the medical history, the cancer has started months ago.

Blood in expectoration: patients normally will feel like glutinous sputum in throat as tumor stimulation, so they will clear their throats subconsciously. A large tumor can block the air passage that tracheal secretions could not come out and cause respiratory tract infection or even difficult breath. If this occurs on patients of mid or late stage, it will present as constant cough or the blood in expectoration.

Minimally invasive treatment helps to avoid being dumb in throat cancer

According to Specialist Peng Xiaochi, as the early signs of throat cancer are insidious that its symptoms like hoarse voice and so on are easily taken as the symptom of throat sore or overuse of throat. Therefore, most cases are detected in middle or late stage.

The surgery was the main choice for throat cancer patients in early stages, among which the partial layngectomy and radical neck dissection were the most common ones. But similar traditional surgeries will leave an obvious scar right in the middle of nick. So in order to avoid the surgical scars, currently patients can choose the minimally invasive treatments like cryotherapy, radioactive particle implantation, interventional therapy and so on, which won’t leave any scar while can save the voice.

*Surgery, in addition to the appropriate chemotherapy and radiotherapy, are effective in treating early cancer, but certain patients in late stage of cancer may not be tolerate surgery well as they can be relatively weak. A combination of carefully planned minimally invasive therapy, chemotherapy or radiotherapy can effectively reduce the side effects and discomfort of treatment and may help patient get better efficacy.