Tumors of the upper aerodigestive pathways
Written by:According to the statistics, 1 in 38 men and 1 in 176 women are likely to develop a tumor in the upper aero-digestive tract. The professor. Giovanni Succo, an expert in Otorhinolaryngology in Turin , talks about this type of neoplasm
What are the tumors of the upper aerodigestive pathways?
Upper aero-digestive tract tumors (VADS) affect the oral cavity (lips, tongue, oral floor, gingival mucosa, inner surface of the cheeks and palate), the oropharynx (the back of the throat, where the tonsils are located) and the larynx (the organ that contains the vocal cords).
There is still little awareness of this type of cancer, which is often difficult to recognize the severity of symptoms. Diagnosing the disease at an advanced stage, however, reduces the chances of survival and the chances of avoiding problems of chewing, swallowing and phonation. The rate of recovery in the case of diagnosis in the initial phase, however, also reaches 80%, with much less serious functional problems.
What are the main causes of head and neck tumors?
The main causes of these tumors are essentially three: tobacco, alcohol and the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).
According to a study by Cancer Research UK, tobacco is responsible for about 64% of cancers that develop in the oral cavity and larynx, while alcohol is about 20%.
The Human Papilloma Virus can be the cause of tumors that develop in the oropharynx (tonsils and base of the tongue), while it rarely causes tumors at the mouth and vocal cords.
Many strains of viruses cause harmless infections that heal spontaneously, so much so that most people do not realize they have contracted an infection. Other strains, on the other hand, are considered to be at high risk: the infections caused by them can lead to cellular alterations and evolve into cancer.. Patients with throat cancer associated with Papilloma Virus are often young, but generally have a positive response to treatment.
A further cause of these tumors is constituted, moreover, by the scarce and neglected oral hygiene.
What are the symptoms of head and neck tumors?
The most common symptoms, which must alarm the patient, are:
- Throat pain;
- Persistent hoarse voice;
- Annoying or painful swallowing ;
- Nodules and swelling of the neck;
- Burning of the tongue;
- Ulcers and white and / or red areas in the mouth;
- Nose closed on one side and loss of blood from the nose.
Furthermore, the symptoms may also include:
- The feeling of having a foreign body in the throat;
- Bleeding or numbness in the mouth;
- Loss of teeth for no apparent reason;
- Problems in speaking;
- Unmotivated weight loss;
- Halitosis;
- Unpleasant smell from the nose;
- Difficulty in chewing and swallowing;
- Important difficulty in breathing;
- Difficulty in moving the jaw.
When symptoms occur for more than 3 weeks, it is important to report their persistence to your doctor or a specialist in Otolaryngology, Maxillofacial Surgery or Dentistry.
What is the treatment of head and neck tumors ?
Patients with early stage VADS cancer can be treated with minimally invasive surgery or radiotherapy, with a rather rapid post-intervention recovery. Thanks to the early diagnosis of these tumors, it is possible to avoid the loss of various functions, especially the loss of voice, in about 90% of cases. Other non-invasive treatment methods include Laser and Robotic Surgery .
As for the more advanced stages of the disease, the treatment involves the combined use of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. To date, specialists work with the aim of minimizing discomfort and safeguarding the functional and anatomical integrity of the organs involved.
Editor Karin Moscow