throat cancer symptoms | Throat cancer Symptoms

Throat cancer Symptoms

Symptoms that may appear in the case of throat cancer are not specific symptoms. Indeed, they may also be present in other sometimes benign pathologies. Thus, it is not possible to rely solely on these signs to establish the diagnosis of throat cancer.

It is nevertheless useful to know them to be able to consult a specialist if necessary (if they persist more than three weeks) and thus to avoid any risk of cancer. Indeed, it is too often late, after the onset of non-specific but persistent symptoms, that the patient consults.

Note: Some cancers of the tongue or mouth can be observed with the naked eye.

Common throat cancer Symptoms
The main symptoms of throat cancer may be voice, breathing or swallowing.

Voice
In case of cancer of the throat one can have changes of the voice (dysphonies) because of the reaching of the vocal chords. One can observe:

hoarseness;
A hoarse voice.
These symptoms usually occur early enough and it is therefore important to take them into account in order to be able to quickly detect cancer.

Breathing
In case of ENT cancer, breathing can become difficult. A chronic cough, sometimes bloody, can make its appearance

Swallowing
Throat cancers can be accompanied by persistent sore throat and painful swallowing (dysphagia).

Symptoms
The presence of accompanying symptoms is relatively common in the case of throat cancer. It is essentially:

Persistent pain (in the neck, mouth, lips, sinuses, ears, etc. Depending on the location of the cancer);

of a mass at the neck level;

Unexplained weight loss

of a lymphadenopathy (swelling of the lymph nodes).

Note: Cancers of the ENT sphere frequently cause ganglionic inflammation or invasion of the lymph nodes of the neck (lymphophiles cancers are referred to).

Symptoms of throat cancer: depending on the location

ENT symptoms may vary depending on the location of the tumor.

Symptoms of pharynx cancers

The symptoms of pharynx cancers (oropharynx and hypopharynx in particular) are characterized by the fact that they cause swallowing disorders. One can find in particular:

The sensation of having a foreign body in the throat;

Varying levels of pain at the throat and reflex pain at the ear level

blood in the saliva;

Swelling of the lymph nodes.

More specifically, if the cancer touches the hypopharynx and is at a sufficiently advanced stage, it will be possible to observe a change in the voice.

Symptoms of salivary gland cancer

Salivary gland cancers can result in symptoms such as:

Temporary facial paralysis;

A pain

A trismus (contraction of masticatory muscles);

The presence of a mass (painless) at the level of the palate, lips or mouth;

Nasal obstruction;

Visual disturbances.

Symptoms of laryngeal cancer

In the case of cancer of the larynx, the main symptom that can be observed will be an alteration of the voice. This dysphonia will usually be a chronic hoarseness. We will also have:

Discomfort with swallowing

A persistent cough, sometimes with blood-stained sputum;

Swelling of the lymph nodes;

may have difficulty breathing (depending on the volume and location of the tumor).

Symptoms of tonsil cancer

In case of tonsil cancer the symptoms likely to appear will be (mainly in a smoker aged over 50 years):

A pseudo-angina difficult to treat but touching only one side and not accompanied by fever;

A sensation of slight discomfort to swallowing at the throat level (dysphagia) and always on one side;

Ear Pain

A painless swelling of the lymph nodes located below the jaw angle.

In the case of cancer, the amygdala is usually ulcerated and the tumor, lasts, bleeds in contact.

Symptoms of cancers of the oral cavity

If the tumor touches the oral cavity, it may be in the form of a flat, red or white lesion. The area can also retain its natural color but have a budding, necrotic or hardened appearance, unendured. Chewing can become difficult.

In any case, any change in the shape or volume of a region of the mouth should cause patients to consult a doctor without delay.

Symptoms of language cancer

Language cancers are cancers that can be observed directly. However, they cause little symptoms (especially if the tumor touches the base of the tongue), which is why they are also diagnosed a little too late.

Besides the abnormal appearance of a region of the tongue, the tumor will tend to provoke:

Pain during feeding

Reflex pain at the ear level

Swelling of the neck ganglia;

Bleeding at the mouth.

Symptoms of nose cancer

The cancers of the nose result in symptoms quite similar to those observed in case of cold. There is a runny nose and/or nasal obstruction (except that only one side is affected). You can also have:

abnormally frequent nose bleeds;

Reflex pain at the ear level as well as a lower hearing on the same side;

unexplained headaches;

Sometimes swelling of the neck ganglia.

Sinus Cancer Symptoms

Sinus cancers (ethmoid adenocarcinoma) will also give symptoms reminiscent of a nasopharyngitis with purulent nasal discharge and nasal obstruction. This time again, it is the fact that these symptoms are unilateral which should attract attention.

The signs are then the same as in the case of nose cancer, if only in the case of a particularly large tumor, you can see a swelling of the area between the cheek, the eye and the nose.