What are the symptoms of cancer in the oropharynx?
Oropharyngeal Cancer. Oropharyngeal cancer is cancer in the oropharynx, which is the middle part of your throat (pharynx). Symptoms include a sore throat that doesn’t go away; a lump in the throat, mouth or neck; coughing up blood; white patch in the mouth and other symptoms. Treatments may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy,
What should I expect from an oropharyngeal exam?
Oropharyngeal examination can reveal pathology of the mucosa or tonsils. Ask the patient to open their mouth and make an ‘ahh’ sound, in order to contract the palate and uvula. Depress the tongue if required in order to visualise the posterior pharynx.
How often does oropharyngeal cancer occur in African Americans?
According to the American Cancer Society, about 53,000 people in the U.S. develop oropharyngeal cancer each year. This cancer occurs in twice the number of men than women. It occurs in equal amounts in African Americans and Caucasians.
Where is the oropharynx located in the throat?
Your oropharynx is the middle part of your throat (pharynx) just beyond your mouth. Your oropharynx includes the back part of your tongue (base of tongue), your tonsils, your soft palate (back part of the roof of your mouth), and the sides and walls of your throat.
When to dissect the neck for oropharyngeal cancer?
Because the oropharynx is rich in lymphatics, cervical lymph node metastasis is common and must be considered in all patients with oropharyngeal cancer. If a cervical lymph node metastasis does not resolve after radiation or chemoradiation, post-treatment neck dissection is warranted.
How is radiation therapy used to treat oropharyngeal cancer?
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has increasingly been used as a way to spare surrounding tissue and decrease long-term adverse effects. Because the oropharynx is rich in lymphatics, cervical lymph node metastasis is common and must be considered in all patients with oropharyngeal cancer.
