Tongue Cancer-Dr.Guruprasad Bhat,Mangalore| Famous Troat and Tongue Cancer Doctor in Mangalore

Throat and Tongue Cancer

Tongue Cancer

Tongue cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the cells of the tongue, and can cause lesions or tumors on your tongue. It happens when cells divide out of control and form a growth, or tumor. Tongue cancer is less common than many other types. Tongue cancer can occur on the front of the tongue, which is called "oral tongue cancer". Or it may occur at the base of the tongue, near where it attaches to the bottom of your mouth. This is called "oropharyngeal cancer."

Treatments

Surgery: Surgery forms the mainstay of treatment in oral cancers that have not spread to other organs in the body. This surgery removes cancer completely with a clear margin.
Radiation Therapy: Depending upon the extent of the cancer involvement, Radiotherapy may be required after surgery to reduce the chances of cancer coming back. Occasionally if the surgery cannot be done, then Radiotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment.
Chemotherapy/Targeted Therapy/Immunotherapy: Chemotherapy is frequently combined with surgery and radiation to improve local control. Single-agent chemotherapy is usually delivered during radiation therapy. In some cases, chemotherapy may be helpful before radiation treatment or surgery. This type of therapy is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy and usually is a combination of 2 or 3 drugs.

Signs and symptoms of throat cancer

In early stages of hypopharyngeal cancer, symptoms are not seen. However, you may have the following symptoms as cancer progresses:

Hoarseness and change in voice that do not go away within 2 weeks; this is the early symptom of throat cancer
A lump in the neck
Airway obstruction, noisy breathing
Pain or difficulty swallowing and breathing
Persistent sore throat and a feeling that something is caught in the throat
Ear pain
Bad breath
Choking
Sudden and unexplained weight loss
Fatigue

Throat Cancer

The hypopharynx is a part of the throat that lies beside and behind your pharynx (throat). The food and liquids we swallow pass through the mouth and throat through the hypopharynx, esophagus and then into the stomach. Cancer to the tissues of the hypopharynx is called hypopharyngeal cancer. It is one of the most common types of head and neck cancer.

Treatment

Radiation therapy
- This therapy uses high-energy beams of X-rays and protons to kill the cancer cells. This therapy is most appropriate for people with early stage cancers. In advanced cancers, radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy or surgery is suitable.
Surgery
- It is the common treatment for all the stages of hypopharyngeal cancer. Appropriate surgery is considered based on the location and type of your cancer.
- Laryngopharyngectomy: Entire larynx (i.e. voice box) and a part of pharynx is removed
- Partial laryngopharyngectomy: A part of larynx and pharynx are removed. This surgery prevents loss of the voice.
- Neck dissection: Lymph nodes and other tissues in the neck are removed
Chemotherapy
- Drugs are used to kill cancer cells. Cancer chemotherapy is often used along with radiation therapy as certain chemotherapy drugs make cancer cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Discuss with your doctor regarding the associated side effects.
- Cetuximab is one targeted drug therapy approved for the treatment of throat cancer in some patients.