Throat cancer affects about 50,000 Americans each year. With a wide range of risk factors, it can occur anywhere from the area behind the nose, down to below the larynx, or voice box. It’s important to be aware of the signs of throat cancer, especially if you are affected by one or more risk factors, since an early diagnosis can mean more efficient means of treatment. Here is a look at how throat cancer is diagnosed.
Test and Procedures
If you’ve noticed any of the signs of throat cancer, such as persistent coughing, an abnormally hoarse voice, or difficulty swallowing, it’s important to make an appointment with your doctor right away. The mutation of throat cancer is such that it infects normal cells to make them continue growing long after they should have died, creating a tumor that can cause serious difficulties.
The first step in diagnosis is generally just an endoscope, a lighted device that can allow doctors a better view of what’s going on in your throat. An endoscope generally sends what it’s viewing to a screen where your doctor can examine the throat for abnormal areas. A laryngoscopy involves the use of a local anesthetic to slide a longer, thinner tube (laryngoscope) down the throat. This is particularly useful for viewing the voice box, as it both lightens and magnifies the area and can be inserted directly into the larynx.
If either of these tests show any abnormal areas, a biopsy is usually the next step. A small amount of tissue from the abnormal area will be removed and sent to a pathologist for further examination.
In some cases, the cancer can spread to more internalized areas that cannot be seen with a laryngoscope or endoscope. In these instances, it can be useful to use imaging tests, such as a computerized tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging, which allow different views of internal structures. This can not only help figure out if the cancer has spread beyond the plainly visible, but can also help doctors determine how much damage has been wrought by the presence of throat cancer.
Stages of Throat Cancer
Once the presence of throat cancer has been determined, doctors generally move on to figuring out what stage the cancer has reached. There are four stages of throat cancer, I, II, III, and IV; higher numbers signify a more advanced stage of cancer. This is extremely important to figure out the most effective method of treatment to begin with.
