Introduction
Throat cancer can cause various symptoms depending on its exact location in the throat. Unfortunately, many of the symptoms are noticed late, when the tumor is already advanced and has grown large. Even the first symptoms that are recognized often do not manifest themselves as obstructions to breathing or food intake, as one would expect in the throat. Rather, the cancer often only becomes noticeable after the first metastases have settled in lymph nodes, on the basis of palpable swellings in the throat and pharynx area.
The following symptoms may indicate throat cancer
Even if the throat cancer becomes noticeable only very late, it can become noticeable in the further course of the disease by means of many symptoms. In the foreground here are complaints that are associated with passenger problems in the throat, i.e. breathing and swallowing problems. Food intake can be disturbed by pain when chewing and swallowing, by chewing muscle cramps, by foreign body sensations in the throat, by excessive or absent salivation and by reduced hunger.
As a result, bad breath, permanent pain and rapid weight loss may occur. The muscles of the tongue can also be affected by chewing, which can lead to difficulties in speaking. Breathing can cause pain and shortness of breath, but also permanent rhinitis, inflammation of the mucous membranes, nosebleeds, colds, sinusitis, middle ear infections, headaches, sore throats and hoarseness.
Depending on the location, bleeding from the tumor may lead to blood accumulation in the stomach, bloody cough or nosebleed. The complaints of the nose and ears are due to restricted nasal breathing and constipation when the nasopharynx is affected. General information about throat cancer can be found here: Throat cancer – What you should know
- Breathing problems
- Irritation of the throat
- Swallowing difficulties
- Foreign body sensation in the neck
- Reduced or increased saliva flow
- Weight loss
- Articulation disorders, complaints when speaking
- Sore throat
- Permanent hoarseness
- Sinusitis
- Otitis media
Swallowing difficulties are among the common symptoms of advanced throat cancer.
Swallowing difficulties are on the one hand pain during the swallowing process, but on the other hand also passenger disturbances and swallowing in the throat. The latter is a common symptom of throat cancer. The lower pharynx section up to the division into trachea and esophagus has a diameter of several centimeters.
Also the upper esophagus, which can be affected by the cancer, has a diameter of up to 4 centimeters. A tumor of the pharyngeal mucosa can protrude into the throat and block the tube. As a result, patients often have the feeling that the food in the throat “hangs crosswise”, which feels like a lump in the throat.
Accidental swallowing into the windpipe also becomes more common. The swallowing disorder can also be caused by a failure of the pharyngeal muscles. In throat cancer, this can be infiltrated and lose its function.
Only through precisely programmed contractions of these throat muscles is the safe swallowing process possible. In addition, in advanced throat cancer, the movement of the swallowing process in the throat is very painful, which is called “odynophagia”. Throat cancer can manifest itself relatively early with sore throat.
The cancer often sits superficially on the mucous membrane of the throat, where it comes into contact with air, saliva and all food that is ingested through the mouth. If superficial ulcerations and bleeding of the cancer occur, pain can occur every time the cancer is swallowed. If the tumor has grown large, pressure on the surrounding organs and structures in the throat can also occur during the swallowing process.
This can also cause sore throat.
- Sore throat when swallowing
- Causes of sore throat
Throat cancer can affect the salivary glands themselves or the supply to the salivary glands. In most cases, the flow of saliva is interrupted, resulting in extreme dryness of the mouth.
The tumor can damage and destroy the salivary glands as well as the responsible nerves due to the close proximity. The therapy of throat cancer can also cause long-term damage to salivary flow. Irradiation of the neck after removal of throat cancer can cause long-term damage to the salivary glands.
Permanent dryness of the mouth is also a possible consequence.Among the carcinomas of the mouth and smoking area is also the cancer of the palate. The following article will show you how to recognize a palatal cancer and how it is treated if present: Cancer of the palate – You should be aware that palate cancer is one of the carcinomas of the mouth and smoking area. The following article will show you how you can detect palate cancer and how it is treated if you are present: Cancer of the palate – What you should considerA malignant tumor has the property of growing invasively.
It changes its structure permanently and is also capable of forming and destroying blood vessels. It is therefore not uncommon for tumor bleeding to occur, destroying smaller or larger blood vessels. These bleedings also occur in throat cancer.
If the tumor is deep-seated, bleeding can occur in the throat, which can be vomited or coughed up. If the tumor is located higher up, the blood can also collect directly in the mouth or nose and cause repeated bleeding visible from the outside. The throat contains not only the food, but also the airways.
If there is a large tumor in the lower part of the throat before it divides into the trachea and esophagus, both food intake and breathing may be impaired. Particularly large blockages in the lower throat can sometimes cause severe breathing difficulties. It is not uncommon for the tumor to spread to the trachea and larynx without treatment.
Hoarseness can be the first symptom of an infection of the trachea. If the lymph nodes, neck structures and oesophagus continue to be affected, the trachea may be put under so much pressure that breathing difficulties may also occur. The foreign body sensation in the throat develops because the tumor behaves like a foreign body.
Although it consists of the body’s own cells, it is uncontrollable by the body and spreads unnaturally through the mucous membranes. A foreign body sensation occurs quickly, especially during the swallowing process. Swallowing is an optimized process that has been carried out millions of times and is ensured by the exact movement of the pharyngeal muscles.
Blockages or infiltrations of the muscles or pharyngeal mucosa not only cause a foreign body sensation in the throat, but also often lead to the food being swallowed or stuck in the esophagus. Hoarseness is caused by an infestation of the vocal folds in the larynx. There are two vocal folds that move symmetrically to each other and tense up during speech and breathing, and produce sounds through vibration.
By the exact position of both vocal folds a certain pitch can be formed. If the function of a vocal fold is limited by a cold or by the affection of a throat cancer, it comes to hoarseness. While hoarseness in the context of a cold usually subsides after 14 days, hoarseness in throat cancer is permanent.
If even both vocal folds are affected, breathing difficulties can sometimes occur, as they can no longer open to allow air to pass through the larynx. A B-symptomatic describes the constellation of three important symptoms that can occur in the context of cancer. With the accompanying symptoms are meant.
These symptoms are not primarily explained by local changes in the throat, but are a consequence of the overall health condition. The presence of a B-symptomatic is in many cases the reason for the discovery of the cancer. Especially a fast, unintentional weight loss should be clarified urgently, as it can stand for a cancer.
Overall, the prognosis of the disease is worse in the presence of B-symptoms.
- Fever,
- Night sweat and
- Unwanted weight loss
The swelling of lymph nodes is the most common symptom of throat cancer. In more than every second case, the lymph nodes are affected when throat cancer is discovered.
The lymph nodes are usually swollen but not painful, which distinguishes them from an infection. When cancer is treated, they must be removed as well, otherwise the cancer cells can spread throughout the body via the lymph. For this purpose, all lymph node stations in the entire neck area are often provisionally removed surgically in order to increase the chance of a cure.
Bad breath is often caused by the accumulation of pathogens such as bacteria, fungi and viruses in the oral mucosa. In principle, this can affect everyone, but cancer patients are predestined for it. The cancer can lead to a lowering of the immune system.
Likewise, damage to the salivary glands can occur as a result of the cancer itself or the subsequent therapy. The resulting dry mouth additionally favors the implantation of pathogens in the mucous membrane.These factors enable the germs to colonize the oral mucosa and thus cause bad breath. With good oral hygiene and mouth rinses, bad breath can also be largely avoided in the case of cancer.
- Oral Hygiene
- Remove bad breath