Overview – Tonsil Cancer:
Tonsil Cancer is a kind of cancer that develops when the cells in the tonsils are grown abnormally. Tonsils are two oval-shaped pads in the back of the mouth which are part of our body’s immune system that fights germs.
Tonsil Cancer can make swallowing difficult and gives you the feeling that something is stuck in your throat. Often Tonsil Cancer is discovered later, when cancer spreads to other parts of the body, such as lymph nodes in the neck.
Surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy are some of the common treatments for tonsil cancer.
What is Tonsil Cancer?
There are 3 types of tonsils present in the throat
- Pharyngeal tonsil – Present in the backside of the throat
- Palatine tonsil – Present in the sides of the throat
- Lingual tonsil – Present in the Base on the tongue
Tonsil Cancer often happens in the Palatine tonsils.
Tonsil Cancers are mostly squamous cell carcinomas, but they can also be lymphomas.
Causes of Tonsil Cancer
Tobacco, Smokeless tobacco like betel nut, and alcohol use are the most significant risk factors of tonsil cancers.
We don’t have any clear vision of what causes tonsil cancer, but doctors are finding that human papillomavirus (HPV) plays a major role in causing tonsil cancer. Mostly HPV Caused Tonsil Cancer happens to occur at a younger age.
Others who may be at risk will have a certain illness or less immunity such as:
People have done organ transplants
People with human immunodeficiency virus disease
Symptoms of Tonsil Cancer
Some people will not notice any symptoms of tonsil cancer until it starts to spread. The most important symptom of tonsil cancer is having one tonsil larger compared to the other tonsil. Persistent Sore throat is also one of the important symptoms of tonsil cancer. Symptoms vary on different levels of cancer.
Here are some tonsil cancer symptoms:
- Swallowing Problems
- Neck Swelling and pain
- Feeling as if something is stuck in the back of the throat
- Mouth pain
- A tonsil become bigger on one side
- Blood in Saliva
- Persistent Sore throat
- Ear pain
- Bad Breath
Having one or more of the above symptoms is not meant to have tonsil cancer. The same symptoms can be seen in several noncancerous problems.
Book an appointment with a doctor if any of these symptoms last for more than 2 weeks.
How is Tonsil Cancer Diagnosed?
A doctor will be asking the patient’s medical history and examine inside the mouth and throat’s back to locate and the size of the tumor.
To check if the tumor has spread, doctors will examine the ears, nose, throat & neck.
Doctors may also ask you to take tests including:
- Blood & Urine Tests
- X-rays – To check if the tumor has spread to the lung.
- Fine needle aspiration biopsy – A needle will be placed in the mouth and the cells are sucked and examined with a microscope to check if the lump is cancerous.
To check if the tumor has spread nearby tissues or other organs, you may have asked to take additional tests:
- Orthopantomography – This is an upper and lower jaw panoramic X-ray, it shows an ear to ear view and helps in checking whether the tumor
- Computerized tomography scan.
- Magnetic resonance imaging.
- Positron emission tomography (PET) scan – In this Scan, A Small amount of radioactive glucose is injected into the person’s vein. The scanner shows computerized images of the areas within the body. Cancer cells absorb more radioactive glucose than normal cells, hence the tumor will be highlighted in the pictures.
If cancer is confirmed, the doctor has to evaluate:
- Cancer’s Stage – How much it has affected
- Type and grade – it shows how fast it may grow
With this helpful information, doctors will determine the best course of treatment.
What are the stages of Tonsil Cancer?
The Stages of Tonsil cancer are:
- Stage 0
- Localized
- Regional
- Distant
Stage 0 – Cells have changed Which makes them more likely to become cancerous cells. These cells are known as precancerous cells but do not have any potential to become cancer. They have not spread.
Localized – These cells are the cancerous cells present in the tonsils, although they have not spread, In this stage tumor cells are less than 2centimeters in diameter. This stage is also known for stage 1.
Regional – Cancer has been spread to other nearby tissues in the area. The tumor is grown more than 2cm and it might be more than 4cm too. And it is also possible that cancer could be spread to nearby lymph nodes or the epiglottis.
Distant – In this stage, cancer has been spread to other parts of the body like the mouth or Jawbone. As it develops, it will affect other parts of the body, such as the lungs and liver.
How Tonsil Cancer Is treated?
Tonsil Cancer treatment is fully dependent on the stage and extent of cancer.
Surgery
The precancerous cells or the tumor are generally removed by a surgeon. They may also have to remove the tonsils and extra tissue around the tumor to reduce the risk of the cancerous tissue has been left behind.
Based on the extent of the treatment, a patient might need further surgery to put back their teeth, as well as the voice and other functions.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy will help you stop the growth of the tumor or to destroy the cancerous cells. A Doctor might be recommending this therapy to reduce the size of the tumor or to kill any cancerous cells left behind after the operation.
Chemotherapy
In this therapy, you will be given powerful medication to kill the cancerous cells, slow them down from spreading, or shrink the size of the tumor to make it easier to remove. A person might need both chemotherapy and radiation therapy for mouth and throat cancers.
This chemotherapy can have severe bad effects, since it kills cancerous cells but also damages the healthy cells.
If a doctor discovers cancer at a later stage, he or she might recommend a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy without requiring any major surgery.
What are the preventions of tonsil cancer?
Don’t Use Tobacco – It is the best way to prevent cancer in the tonsils. If you’re a smoker, discuss with your doctor for different strategies to help you quit.
Secondhand smoke can raise the risk of getting malignancies in the head and neck, therefore avoid being near smokers and in locations where smoking is common.
Limit Alcohol – If you wish to drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
Regular Dental Care – When you visit the dentist regularly, he or she will check your mouth for cancer signs and precancerous changes.