Throat Cancer Treatments

Types of throat cancer treatment methods include surgery, chemotherapy, etc.

Throat cancer is a specific type of cancer of the vocal cords, voice box (larynx), or other areas of the throat.

Throat Cancer is also called as Vocal cord cancer, Larynx cancer, Cancer of the glottis.

Causes of Throat Cancer

Unlike other types of cancer the causes of throat cancer is quiet clear. People who smoke or otherwise use tobacco are at risk of developing the disease. Excessive alcohol use also increases risk. Smoking and drinking alcohol combined lead to an extreme risk for the development of the disease thus the known cause of throat cancer.

Most of the throat cancer develop in adults older than 50. Men are at high risk than women to develop throat cancer.

Throat cancer treatment is aimed completely at destruction of the cancer and prevention of spread of the cancer to other parts of the body. This disease may be treated with radiation therapy, surgery, or chemotherapy. Some throat cancer patients have a combination of therapies.

Throat Cancer Treatment with Radiation Therapy

In this type of treatment high-energy x-rays are used to kill cancer cells. The rays are aimed at the tumor and the tissue around it. Radiation therapy is local therapy. It affects cells only in the treated area. Treatments are usually given 5 days a week for 5 to 8 weeks. Depending on the patient condition and the stage of the disease radiation therapy may be given alone or combination with the surgery or chemotherapy as well.

Throat Cancer Treatment with Surgery

Surgery is performed to remove the tumor growth in the throat. Though the type of operation depends mainly on the size and exact location of the tumor it helps to an extent to relief the major throat cancer symptoms.

Again the type of surgery differs from patient to patient as the condition and the stage of the disease differs. The method of surgery to remove part or entire larynx is called Laryngectomy. Further this laryngectomy is of various kinds.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy method of throat cancer treatment is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. The doctor may suggest one drug or a combination of drugs. The drugs for this cancer are usually given by injection into the bloodstream. The drugs enter the bloodstream and travel throughout the body.

Chemotherapy is used to treat this disease in several ways. For example it is administered before the surgery or the radiation therapy, also sometimes after the surgery or the radiation therapy. In few cases where surgery may not serve the purpose of treating the patient chemotherapy may prove to give hope.

However this is implemented with combination of radiation therapy as well. The good thing about his method of throat cancer treatment is that the larynx is not removed thus sparing the voice. This chemotherapy method of throat cancer treatment can be given at home itself without having the need to spend time in the hospital.\