Know Cancer

or
forgot password
  • Throat Cancer Stages

    Throat cancer refers to any type of cancer that develops in the tissue of the throat or pharynx, which would include the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and larynx or voice box.

    It is one of the most commonly diagnosed forms of the disease, with approximately 12,000 new cases of laryngeal and over 13,000 cases of pharyngeal diagnosed in the United States each year.

    Stages

    Hypopharyngeal cancer:

    • Stage 0: Abnormal cells are discovered.
    • Stage I: Malignantcells have formed in an area of the hypopharynx; mass is less than 2 centimeters.
    • Stage II: Themass is between 2-4 centimeters in size but has not spread to the larynx, or the mass has been found in more than 1 area of the hypopharynx or surrounding tissue.
    • Stage III: The mass is larger than 4 centimeters and has spread to the larynx or esophagus. It may have also spread to a lymph node on the same side of the neck as the tumor, with the node measuring 3 centimeters or less. Or the mass has been found in an area of the hypopharynx and is less than 2 centimeters.
    • Stage IV: Bythis later stage, any of the following may have occurred: the mass has spread to other parts of the pharynx, such as the tongue or thyroid; spread to the lymph nodes, trachea, or esophagus. The tumor is usually larger than 4 centimeters by this stage. In some cases the cancer has spread to the patient’s spinal cord or other areas of the body and may be any size.

    Laryngeal cancer:

    • Stage 0: Abnormal cells are discovered.
    • Stage I: A malignancy has formed. The stage depends on where in the larynx the cancer has formed: supraglottis (cancer is present but vocal cords are functioning normally); glottis (cancer is in either or both vocal cords but functioning normally); subglottis only.
    • Stage II: Cancer is in the larynx only. The stage depends on where the cancer has formed and the progression of the disease: supraglottis (is in more than one area); glottis (disease is in the supraglottis, subglottis); in one or both vocal cords and they cannot function normally.
    • Stage III: In stage III, if the cancer has spread to the supraglottis, subglottis, or glottis, the vocal cords may be affected. By this stage the disease may have also spread to the lymph nodes or other areas of the larynx.
    • Stage IV: By this stage, the cancer may have spread tothe cartilage near the thyroid or the tissue of the larynx (including the trachea, thyroid, or esophagus). In later stage IV cancer, the disease may spread to the spinal column or to other areas of the body.

    Prognosis

    The patient’s prognosis is determined by a number of factors, including the size, location, and stage of the tumor. Patients with a history of smoking, or those who smoke during radiation therapy, have lower odds of experiencing a full recovery and have a greater risk of a recurrence of the disease.