Do you know anyone with cancer more specifically throat cancer? I do and so I wanted to learn more about it. Throat cancer also known as cancer of the pharynx can be included in the group of head and neck cancers. 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with cancer from this group annually. There are more than 500,000 survivors living in the United States today. The tumors are often found on the tonsils and at the base of the tongue. Throat cancer; though, can also be found in three regions of the pharynx.
The three regions include the nasopharynx, which is the area behind the back of the throat and nose, the oropharynx, which is the base of the tongue and the tonsil region, and the hyopharynx, which is the bottom part of the throat. Alcohol use, smoking (tobacco or marijuana), and chewing tobacco can cause throat cancer. Leukoplakia, which is white spots or patches in the mouth, can be considered a risk factor. There are symptoms to throat cancer like any other disease.
A persistent feeling of something in the pharynx is a symptom of throat cancer. If you are having pains or having difficulty swallowing, a change of voice, or hoarseness then there is a possibility you could have throat cancer. Also throat cancer may cause an earache or it might feel like sometimes there is obstruction in your airway passage. There are many ways to treat cancer if it is needed.
“Several tests may be performed to diagnose the presence of cancer. An endoscopy uses a thin-lighted flexible instrument to evaluate the extent of the tumor. A suspected throat cancer must be confirmed by removing a small piece of tissue (biopsy). This tissue is sent to the laboratory for evaluation and diagnosis” (www.uihealthcare.com). Treatments for cancer include surgery, radiation therapy (intensity modulated radiation therapy or high dose radiation brachytherapy), and chemotherapy. There are alternate therapies such as naturopathic medicine, nutritional therapy, mind-body medicine, image enhancement, and spiritual support.
The best way to see if you have cancer is to consult a doctor.
If lymphatic cancer is found treatment is required immediately to get rid of the cancer cells as soon as possible so damage as is not done to normal cells.
Surgery is the oldest type of treatment for cancer. In its earlier use, surgery was not as successful as it is today. This was due to the difficulties involved with the anesthesias, excessive blood loss, respiratory distress, and a number of other complications. Tumors were removed, but metastases had formed, and the cancer returned quickly. In modern day surgery, namely laser surgery, these difficulties do not occur as readily. There are four basic ways to use surgery. One way is a diagnostic biopsy. This is a technique that involves removing part of the tumor, in order to test for malignancy. Another technique is surgery that removes the primary tumor. A third technique is removal of lymphatic tumors and metastases, which can help reduce the recurrence of cancer. The fourth technique is a combination of surgeries to detect and treat a malignant or benign tissue mass (1).
In addition to being responsible for 87% of lung cancers, smoking is also associated with cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, pancreas, uterine cervix, kidney, and bladder. Smoking accounts for at least 29% of all cancer deaths, is a major cause of heart disease, and is associated with conditions ranging from colds and gastric ulcers to chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and cerebrovascular disease. Women have a better chance in getting lung cancer then men do. This year the disease will kill 68,000 women in the United States, more than one and a half times as many as breast cancer. Even if a woman smoked for awhile and quit, her chances are much greater then a man that smoked 2 times longer then the woman did.
There are more than a million people suffer from cancer in the United States every day. Lung cancer is not the only type of cancer but it affects many people and families every day. Lung cancer makes the lives of its patients and the families. Lung cancer is one of the deadliest types of cancer and also one of the most common. Hundreds of thousands of people get diagnosed with lung cancer every year in just the United States. Also close to just as many people die from lung cancer in the US every year. I am going to talk about lung cancer and what it is, how to lower your risk of getting it, statistics of it, and the research and treatment of it.
The pharynx is a large cavity behind the mouth and between the nasal cavity and larynx. The pharynx serves, as an air and food passage but cannot be used for both purposes at the same time, otherwise choking would result. The air is also warmed and moistened further as it passes through the pharynx. The larynx is a short passage connecting the pharynx to the trachea and contains vocal chords. The larynx has a rigid wall and is composed mainly of muscle and cartilage, which help prevent collapse and obstruction of the airway.
Lung cancer is considered to be the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. There are approximately about 180,000 cases that are diagnosed in America, considering that 90% dies thru lung cancer alone. Despite of its number, it is the most preventable of all the cancers. Like every cancer it spreads out fast if not taken seriously, this due the abnormal growth of cells. The abnormal cell growth often leads to the formation of tumor. This cancer is very common and very deadly. The following common symptoms of lung cancer may include excessive coughing, chest pain, shortness in breath, hoarse voice, swelling on the face and neck, unexplained loss of appetite and tiredness. It may be hard to determine, if a person has a lung cancer. The person needs to be aware of his body and see a doctor as soon as possible. The used of x-ray is commonly used for most patients, providing a visual if any tumor exist. Otherwise, the used of CT and MRI scan is used as well, providing better visual on certain patients.
Cancer of the lung was nearly nonexistent in the early 1900’s. By the middle of the 20th century an epidemic became apparent throughout the United States and the rest of the world. It is primarily correlated with the widespread abundance of cigarette smoking in the world. The tobacco industry has multiplied its production immediately prior to World War I. There was a typical 20 to 30 year lagging period between the initiation of cigarette smoking and the actual tumor formation in the lungs. Lung cancer is the cancer that originates in the tissues of the lungs. It occurs when cells in the lung start to grow rapidly in an uncontrolled manner. Lung cancer can start anywhere in the lungs and affect any part of the respiratory system. Most of all lung cancer cases start in the lining of the bronchi (health-cares.net, 2005). It is the leading cause of all cancer deaths in the world. During this time the tobacco companies would continue to say that cigarette smoking was not addictive and did not cause any type of cancer. Even with all evidence in the world today about tobacco causing cancer, Tobacco companies still remain the most profitable business in the world. Lung cancer is very common in both women and men. Women account for about 40 percent of the lung cancer cases in the world. Women who smoke are more than twice as likely to develop lung cancer as those of men who smoke (Tavor, 2005).
Most parents remembered hearing about the importance of protecting their children from the sun, yet children are still playing in the sun without sunscreen or protective clothing. Many people these days are not taking skin cancer seriously after knowing its significance. Skin cancer has been a growing problem in the United States and millions of people have suffered from it every year. The three most common skin cancers are Melanoma, Basal cell, and Squamous cell, which can cause bumps, sores, growths, etc. Skin cancer is a deadly disease with many causes, but the advantage is that it can be prevented.
The East Pennsboro elementary school raised money for a statue at a local park. The statue was a ring of children that were holding hands. There was one child missing; the link was broken. The statue was dedicated to East Pennsboro students that did not make it to their graduation. My sophomore year of high school inspired this piece of artwork.
Smoking causes many other types of cancer, including cancers of the throat, mouth, nasal cavity, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and cervix, and even leukemia has been found linked to smoking. Also, people who smoke are up to six times more likely to suffer a heart attack than nonsmokers, and the risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked. Smoking also causes most cases of chronic obstructive lung disease. Also, approximately 49,400 deaths have been due to exposure to secondhand smoke. 3,000 nonsmoking adults die of diseases caused by exposure to second-hand smoke every year.
Approximately one in two lifetime smokers will die from their habit. Half of these deaths will occur in middle age. The most common of the diseases caused by smoking is cancer, of course. Not only is it a cause of lung cancer, but cancer of the larynx, and the esophagus, and it contributes to the development of cancers of the bladder, pancreas, and kidney. Lung cancer comes from the tar in the cigarettes.
What is cancer? Cancer is the abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells that if left untreated can ultimately cause death. The word cancer came from the Greek word for crab, karkinos. The early Greek physicians who first described cancerous tumors had no notion of their cause or true nature, but they were struck by the resemblance if some invasive tumors to crabs: a hard mass with a claw like extensions and an aggressive nature. Cancer causes about 550,000 deaths a year. Although many people believe that cancer is one disease, there are actually in fact over a 100 different forms of cancer. Some cancers can be cured, but not all of them have cures. Even though each type has its own characteristics, all cancers share one common characteristic, and that is the abnormal cell growth. These abnormal cells form tumors that invade normal tissues and disrupt body functions. Tumors are cancerous when they spread to other parts of the body. These types are called malignant, while tumors that do not have the potential to spread are called benign.