Pharyngeal cancer
What is pharyngeal cancer?
Pharyngeal cancers are head and neck cancers that start in the pharynx (commonly called the throat). Pharyngeal cancers include nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers.
Risk factors for head and neck cancer
Risk factors for head and neck cancer include
Symptoms of pharyngeal cancer
Common signs and symptoms of pharyngeal cancer include a lump in the neck, a sore throat, and difficulty chewing or swallowing.
Diagnosis of pharyngeal cancer
Pharyngeal cancer can be diagnosed or ruled out with tests such as an endoscopy, biopsy and CT scan.
Grading pharyngeal cancer
Grading describes how the cancer cells look compared to normal, healthy cells. Most pharyngeal cancers are given a grade from 1 to 3, while some aren’t graded at all.
Stages of pharyngeal cancer
The stage of pharyngeal cancer describes the size of the tumour (T), if cancer is in the lymph nodes (N) and if it has spread or metastasized (M).
If pharyngeal cancer spreads
Pharyngeal cancer can spread to nearby lymph nodes, and to the lungs, liver and bone.
Prognosis and survival for pharyngeal cancer
Prognosis estimates the outcome for pharyngeal cancer. It depends on many factors including the location of the tumour, the stage, the number of lymph nodes involved, and tobacco and alcohol use.
Treatments for pharyngeal cancer
Treatments for pharyngeal cancer include surgery, chemoradiation, immunotherapy and targeted therapy.
Supportive care for pharyngeal cancer
Supportive care for pharyngeal cancer helps you meet physical, practical, emotional and spiritual challenges.
Head and neck cancer statistics
Cancer statistics tell us how many people in Canada are diagnosed with and die from pharyngeal cancer in a certain time frame.
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