Journal of Carcinogenesis & Mutagenesis

Note on Advanced Throat Cancer Treatments

¹Department of Medical Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea
^*Correspondence: Juning Jinih, Department of Medical Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea, Email:

Received: 30-Mar-2022, Manuscript No. JCM-22-16695; Editor assigned: 01-Apr-2022, Pre QC No. JCM-22-16695(PQ); Reviewed: 15-Apr-2022, QC No. JCM-22-16695; Revised: 22-Apr-2022, Manuscript No. JCM-22-16695(R); Published: 02-May-2022, DOI: 10.35248/2157-2518.22.S31.005

Description

Treatment options for pharyngeal cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. The choices recommended for each patient depend on a variety of factors, including the type of disease, stage, and progression. An interdisciplinary team of laryngeal cancer specialists will answer your questions and recommend treatment options based on your own diagnosis and needs.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses powerful chemicals to kill cells that grow rapidly in the body. Chemotherapy is most commonly used to treat cancer because cancer cells grow and grow much faster than most cells in the body. There are many different chemotherapeutic agents available. Chemotherapy can be used to kill tumor cells that remain after surgery for laryngeal cancer. This treatment can also be used as a first-line treatment for patients with advanced laryngeal cancer, alone or in combination with radiation therapy.

Chemo radiation

Chemo radiotherapy is the combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to treat cancer. Synonyms include radio chemotherapy and chemo radiation. It is a type of multimodal cancer therapy. Chemo radiation can be concurrent or sequential. The chemotherapy component can be or include a radio sensitizing agent.

This treatment also called chemo radiotherapy; this treatment combines radiation therapy and chemotherapy. It may be used as a first-line treatment for laryngeal cancer and may help patients avoid surgery and preserve the larynx, or voice box. Chemo radiation may be a treatment option for patients who choose not to have surgery or who are not healthy enough for surgery. It may also be an option to target cancer cells that may have been left behind after surgery.

Laryngeal cancer treatment

Treatment of laryngeal cancer depends on many factors, including preferences and goals, general health, and the stage of the disease. Chemo radiation therapy is the first-line treatment option for early-diagnosed laryngeal cancer and is an option to protect the larynx. Surgery may be needed if the cancer is diagnosed as it progresses or recurs after treatment. Other treatment options for laryngeal cancer include:

• Targeted therapy

• Immunotherapy

• Chemotherapy

• Radiation therapy

• Clinical trials

Pharyngeal cancer treatment

Treatment for pharyngeal cancers, including tonsil cancer, may depend on where in the throat the cancer is found, the stage of the disease and the overall health of the patient. Treatment options for pharyngeal cancers include:

• Surgery

• Radiation

• Chemotherapy

• Chemoradiation

• Targeted therapy

• Immunotherapy

• Clinical trials

Surgery may be a first-line treatment for many cases of pharyngeal cancer. The extent of the surgery may depend on whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes and/or has affected the jaw, larynx or other areas of the throat.

Treatment options for HPV-related throat cancer

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the leading cause of many laryngeal cancers. The centers for disease control and prevention estimates that HPV causes up to 70 percent of cancers that affect the throat, tongue, tonsils, and other parts of the throat and mouth. HPV-related laryngeal cancer may respond better to treatment than laryngeal cancer associated with the use of alcohol or tobacco. Treatment options for HPV-related throat cancers include:

• Radiation therapy

• Surgery

• Chemotherapy

• Chemoradiation

• Targeted therapy

• Immunotherapy

• Clinical trials

Side effects of surgery

The side effects of surgery depend on the type and location of the surgery. Each patient is advised to consult with their doctor about the expected side effects of a particular surgery and how long the side effects are expected to last. Common side effects of head and neck surgery include temporary or permanent loss of normal voice, speech impairment, and deafness. After surgery for cancer, a feeding tube to the stomach may be needed, but chewing and swallowing are often difficult. If lymph nodes were removed, there may be stiffness in the shoulders afterward. In addition, lymphedema can occur. After a total laryngectomy, which is the removal of the larynx, people may have decreased thyroid gland function that will need to be managed, such as by taking thyroid hormone medication.

Another possible side effect is swelling of the mouth and throat, which makes breathing difficult. If this side effect occurs, the patient may have a temporary tracheostomy. This will puncture the trachea and make breathing easier.