Treatment of oropharyngeal cancers depends primarily on how long it took for the development of the disease to be diagnosed. The sooner cancer is diagnosed, the greater the chances of a cure. Unfortunately, the experience of doctors shows that patients come to them already in the advanced stage of the disease. What is the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer then? What is the prognosis of patients?
Treatment of cancers of the mouth and throatdepends on several factors: the location and extent of the tumor, and thus the stage of the disease, as well as the occurrence of metastases and comorbidities ( e.g. diabetes, hypertension) and the patient's age. Before the doctor decides on the choice of treatment method, it is necessary to performtests , on the basis of which he will make a final diagnosis .
Oropharyngeal neoplasms - diagnosis
In case of suspicion oforal cancer , is performed a physical (physical) examination, which consists in viewing and touching the visible changes. If throat cancer is suspected, the doctor first performs an endoscopic examination or laryngoscopy. If cancer is suspected, the doctor takes samples of the diseased tissue for a biopsy. In both cases, the final diagnosis is made on the basis of the results of the histopathological examination.
For throat cancer, imaging tests such as X-rays, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission computed tomography (PET) are also helpful.Oropharyngeal neoplasms - prognosis
The best prognosis is patients whose cancer was detected at an early stage of development. Then up to 90 percent of patients have a chance of being cured. This number drops to about 50 percent when patients see a doctor with advanced disease. Others die 5 years after diagnosis.
Oropharyngeal cancer - treatment
The treatment is usually to remove the tumor. Excision of the neoplastic lesion can be performed during traditional surgery or during cryo-or laser therapy. You may also need chemo and / or radiation therapy. In the advanced stage of the disease, excision may be necessarya part of the body with a tumor, e.g. a fragment of the tongue, mandible or larynx.
It is worth knowing that radiotherapy increases the risk of caries. Therefore, during the treatment period, the patient should be under the care of a dentist.