The hypopharynx is the base of the pharynx and is a hollow tube. The pharynx begins behind the nose and ends in the esophagus along the neck. Hypopharyngeal cancer is a disease in which cellular lesions in the tissues of the hypopharynx produce cancer cells. These cells usually come from the surface of the lining of the pharynx and form squamous cell carcinoma.
Hypopharyngeal cancer is divided into five main stages from 0 to 4. Stage 0 is when the cancerous tissue occurs only in the mucous membrane of the pharynx and the lymph nodes have not yet spread. Stage 1 is when the cancerous tumor invasion reaches the lower part of the pharynx and is about two centimeters in size. Stage 2 is when the tumor is between greater than two centimeters and less than four centimeters in size and has not spread to the larynx. Stage 3 is when the tumor has invaded the larynx regardless of the size of the tumor. Stage 4 is the occurrence of extensive local invasion or lymph node metastasis, or even metastasis to other organs.
Symptoms of hypopharyngeal cancer include lump in the neck, painful swallowing, change in voice, earache, etc. These symptoms may also be caused by other diseases, so please seek medical attention promptly if similar conditions occur.
The diagnosis of hypopharyngeal cancer requires various tests and more imaging examinations to finally determine the disease. The treatment of cancer is different depending on the stage of the disease. The causes of hypopharyngeal cancer include smoking, alcoholism, and poor nutrition. In order to prevent this disease, it is important to adopt a healthy lifestyle in order to reduce the risk of the disease.