12 Frequent Throat Cancer Symptoms

Throat cancer refers to a group of neck and head cancers that begin in different areas of your throat. The type of throat cancer a person is diagnosed with is based on where the disease begins as well as what type of cancer cells are involved.

Most throat cancers are a type of squamous cell carcinoma. This means that the cancer begins in the squamous cells, which are the thin and flat cells that line the throat. There are two main types of throat cancer, laryngeal and pharyngeal. Pharyngeal throat cancer begins in the pharynx, which is the area of the throat that goes behind the nose to the top of the esophagus.

Laryngeal throat cancer occurs when a tumor forms in the larynx, which is also called the voice box because it is where the vocal cords are held. Here are 8 frequent throat cancer symptoms that you should be aware of.

1. Patches in the Mouth

The mouth goes through a lot when you really stop to think about it. It is the means by which we receive the majority of the nutrients that our body needs in order to sustain life. In addition, the mouth is one of the first lines of defense when it comes to fighting off diseases and infections.

With this being said, it is important to make sure that you take care of your mouth. Throat or oral cancer can present with discolored tissue on the lips and in the mouth. These patches may be white and known as leukoplakia. White patches typically do not become malignant, but they can. A mix of red and white patches is known as erythroleukoplakia and are more likely to become malignant.

Red patches are called erythroplakia are smooth and brightly colored and often will become malignant. If you notice these types of patches in your mouth or on the lips, you need to go to the doctor right away to have them checked out.