Hypopharyngeal cancer | Best Oncologist in Kolkata | Best Radiation Oncologist in Kolkata

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07/04/23

What is Hypo pharyngeal cancer?
The hypopharynx is the bottom part of the pharynx (throat) which lies behind the voice box or larynx. When cancer develops in the tissue of hypopharynx, it is called hypo pharyngeal cancer.
How common is hypo pharyngeal cancer?
According to GLOBOCON 2020 data, there were about 28489 new cases of hypo pharyngeal cancer in 2020 with 11443 death in India.
What are the risk factors for hypo pharyngeal cancer?
1. Smoking
2. Alcohol
3. Iron and Vitamin C deficiency
4. Occupational exposure to asbestos, wood and coal dust
What are the symptoms of Hypo pharyngeal cancer?
Patients are often asymptomatic during the early stages and usually presents late with-
1. Pain while swallowing food
2. Difficulty in swallowing food
3. Weight loss
4. Pain in ears
5. Difficulty in breathing
6. Painless neck swelling
What are the investigations done in a suspected patient of Hypo pharyngeal cancer?
• Clinical examination
• A full blood count and biochemical profile
• Examination under anaesthesia and biopsy
• Indirect laryngoscopy or Fibre optic laryngoscopy or Flexible nasoendoscopic examination.
• USG neck and USG guided FNAC from any neck node in selected cases.
• CT scan of Neck
• Whole body PET-CT scan- Standard investigation in patients who are thought to be suitable for curative intent treatment.
• In advanced stage cancer patients, certain molecular marker is tested to make treatment decisions e.g, PDL1.
What are the stages of Hypo pharyngeal cancer?
The hypo pharyngeal cancer can be divided into 4 different stages (Stage I to IV) based on tumour size, local extent of tumour, and spread of the cancer to neck nodes or distant organs.
What are the treatment options for hypo pharyngeal cancer?
Treatment of hypo pharygeal cancer patients depends on various factors e.g., stage of the disease, age of the patient, other medical comorbidities, and general fitness.
Treatment of early stage (Stage I&II) - Surgery is an option for treatment of early stage hypo pharyngeal cancer. When surgery is contemplated them Transoral laser microsurgery or Transoral robotic surgery is often used. Radiotherapy alone or chemoradiotherapy is an equally effective option, if the patient is not suitable for surgery or not willing for surgery.
Treatment of locally advanced stage (Stage III and selected stage IV patient) –This group of patients are usually treated with Combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Radiotherapy alone can be the treatment in elderly, unfit patients. Surgery with total laryngo-pharyngectomy could be an option for this group of patients but it is usually large, morbid surgery which leaves the patients with permanent tracheostomy and a long term ryles tube and hence often avoided. Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) is now a standard form of radiotherapy, which is used for oropharyngeal cancer. This technique can target the tumour precisely reducing radiation dose to surrounding normal organ and thus reducing side effects of Radiotherapy.
Treatment of metastatic disease (Stage IV) - This group of patients cann’t be cured. Treatment aims to control the cancer at this stage. This group of patients are usually treated with Chemotherapy, Targeted therapy and Immunotherapy or their combination. Some patient might need palliative radiotherapy for symptom control.