Prevention of throat cancer

The throat area often faces the risk of infection and, more importantly, cancer. How to detect and prevent cancer in this 'gateway' area?

How to prevent throat cancer

In the ENT clinic, more and more patients come to the doctor for fear of having nasopharyngeal cancer. According to international statistics, Vietnam is a country in the region that has a higher rate of people suffering from throat cancer than the rest of the world.

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However, the information about this disease is very small and not everyone has access to conditions, leading to the situation that patients often panic due to misunderstanding about the disease, even confusing symptoms of sore throats, common sinusitis with cancer. This confusion leads to the patient's attitude, the wrong sense of his own health condition, resulting in serious consequences.

As does so ?

There are many types of cancers in the throat area, each type of cancer has symptoms, different causes, so the treatment is also different.

According to the master, Dr. Phan Nhu Tuan - Head of the Otolaryngology Clinic (Ngoc Minh Polyclinic), the most common cancers in the head and neck area include: tonsil cancer, arch cancer, cancer Thyroid and laryngeal cancer, lymphoma . In particular, throat cancer is the most common type in the head and neck area. This is a very common type of cancer, which has the leading death rate in Vietnam.

Dr. Phan Nhu Tuan said the risk factors leading to the head and neck cancer above mentioned are two main groups. The first group is due to living habits ; the second group is the living environment . In particular, harmful habits such as smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, uncontrolled activities or polluted environments, including poor food safety and hygiene, all increase the risk of illness.

What stimulates the body to react to protect the body from day to day is likely to cause cancer mutation, another small part is inherited. Currently, science is also looking for an association between Epstein-Barr virus and nasopharyngeal cancer. Almost all patients with nasopharyngeal cancer have Epstein-Barr virus in the cancer tissue and tests for the Epstein-Barr virus in the blood.

For tonsil cancer and arch cancer , early signs are often nasal bleeding and bloody spotting accompanied by neck lymph nodes.

For laryngeal cancer , early signs are often hoarse and have one or two side jaw nodes.

Thyroid cancer usually signs early is prolonged fatigue and inflammation of the neck.

In more detail, symptoms that warn you may have a type of throat cancer include:

1. Difficulty swallowing - this is the earliest manifestation of your abnormality in the palate, maybe a tumor is growing in the throat, obstructing ' circulation' . A rough larynx surface: many people often confuse this feeling with sore throat or dry throat when flu.
2. Voice changer - the development and transformation of cancer cells in the larynx makes the voice change.
3. Coughing for a long time : a prolonged cough causes you to have a hoarse voice after your cough has stopped This may be the starting point for throat cancer.
4. Nosebleeds : a runny nose accompanied by blood or unusual nosebleeds is a sign for doctors to diagnose throat cancer.
5. Cervical lymph nodes : the throat has lymphatic tissue, when cancer cells develop, causing the lymph nodes in the neck to be swollen, stiff but not painful. Hearing loss: hearing loss, tinnitus, especially only one side.

In fact, depending on the patient, some people develop this symptom without the other symptoms. When you have these symptoms, you need to see a specialist for advice and proper treatment.

Prevention and treatment

No method can prevent nasopharyngeal cancer completely. However, it is possible to reduce or avoid risk factors, such as implementing a healthy diet and lifestyle, low alcohol consumption, and tobacco consumption.

Reducing the intake of salted salts will help reduce throat contact with stimuli. Besides, keeping the living environment clean, avoiding contact with toxic substances, dust . are other important preventive measures.

Currently the most common method to detect throat cancer is endoscopy. According to the advice of doctors, a normal person should examine and colonize the nasopharynx from 1-2 times a year to detect the disease in the early stages.

For people with many risk factors and especially with Epstein-Barr virus infection , ENT examination and examination are 2-3 times / year. When there are suspected symptoms lasting more than 2 weeks, you should see an ENT doctor and ask for an endoscopic nasopharynx.

According to Dr. Phan Nhu Tuan, in the above types of cancer, if early detection and adherence to treatment, thyroid cancer and laryngeal cancer have a very high survival rate while cancer and tonsils are lower. .

Currently, ' self-examination', 'self-treatment' or ' Google doctor ' is quite popular in Vietnam, including dental diseases. Many patients with abnormal symptoms in the throat often go to the pharmacy to buy antibiotics . These medicines can help treat common infections and flu but cannot cure cancer. This type of self-treatment also makes the disease progress uncontrollably, until it is discovered that the condition has become too serious.

Dr. Tuan advised, to prevent and detect early head and neck cancer, should have a healthy lifestyle, moderation and general health check at least twice a year at prestigious medical facilities. credit.