If you’ve been diagnosed with throat cancer, it can be a stressful time, but you don’t have to go through it on your own. At Puget Sound Ear Nose and Throat, we can guide you through the next steps while ensuring that you receive the highest quality treatment.
What Are Symptoms of Throat Cancer?
- Chronic cough
- Difficulty swallowing
- Pain in the ear or throat
- A scratchy voice or an inability to speak clearly
- Weight loss
Where Are These Cancers Located?
- Oral cavity cancer involves the lips, tongue, the floor of the mouth, the hard and soft palates or the gums.
- Laryngeal cancer involves the voice box.
- Pharyngeal cancer involves any part of the throat except for the voice box.
- Salivary gland cancer involves the salivary glands.
How Is Throat Cancer Diagnosed?
You should make an appointment with an ENT if you notice lumps on your neck or red or white patches in your mouth.
Your doctor will ask about the extent and duration of your symptoms. Diagnostic exams may include:
- An endoscopy, which involves using a lighted scope to examine your throat.
- A laryngoscopy, during which a scope is used to examine your voice box.
- Taking a biopsy of tissue for testing.
- Imaging tests, such as a low-dose radiation CT scan, MRI or PET scan.
How Do ENTs Treat Throat Cancer?
Our team will be by your side as you navigate treatment for throat cancer. They’ll also work with you to ensure that you understand your condition, answering questions that you might have and providing support as you enter this transitional time.
Our otolaryngologist will determine what procedure will best serve your individual needs. Factors that influence treatment include:
- Tumor size
- Tumor location
- Whether the tumor has spread
Potential options include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. For small tumors or throat cancers that haven’t spread to the lymph nodes, radiation might be the only treatment needed. In more advanced cases, it may be combined with other treatments.
Following treatment, you may need speech therapy or swallowing therapy. Our team will support you through this as well.
A throat cancer diagnosis may feel overwhelming, but you aren’t in this alone. Our providers will support you through treatment and recovery.
Call Puget Sound ENT for more information or to schedule an appointment.