Cough and swollen lymph nodes are signs of hypopharyngeal cancer?

Going to the doctor due to symptoms of cough and feeling lymph nodes in the left neck area, the man received the result of late-stage hypopharyngeal cancer.

Going to the doctor due to symptoms of cough and feeling lymph nodes in the left neck area, the man received the result of late-stage hypopharyngeal cancer.

Recently, Medlatec General Hospital received and examined a case of invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx. The patient is Mr. D.XT (55 years old, in Hung Yen ).

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Mr. T. came to the clinic because he had symptoms of difficulty swallowing on one side for about a month, accompanied by cough, sore throat, and palpable lymph nodes on the left side of the neck. Medical history revealed that the patient had a habit of drinking alcohol and smoking 30 packs of cigarettes/year.

Through examination, the doctor discovered groups of lymph nodes in the left neck area, hard, firm, immobile, with the largest size measured at about 30x30mm. ENT endoscopy showed a tumor of unknown nature in the left hypopharynx.

Ultrasound and MRI results confirmed a tumor in the left pharyngeal wall, suspected to originate from the left piriform sinus, pressing and invading the surrounding area. Abnormal lymph nodes also appeared on both sides of the neck, predominantly on the left side.

Tumor biopsy showed tumor tissue with large, basal-like cells arranged in clusters, with areas of keratinization and necrosis.

Based on clinical and paraclinical diagnostic results, the doctor concluded that the patient had invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, stage T3N2bMx (late stage).

Dr. Nguyen Phuong Dung, an ENT specialist at Medlatec General Hospital, said that hypopharyngeal cancer is a disease originating from the hypopharyngeal region, most commonly in the piriform sinus area. When the tumor spreads to the larynx, it is called hypopharyngeal-laryngeal cancer.

This is the second most common cancer in the ear, nose and throat region, after nasopharyngeal cancer. The disease is common in men aged 45-65 with a male/female ratio of 5/1.

Hypopharyngeal cancer often develops silently over a long period of time with symptoms appearing slowly, including swallowing disorders (difficulty swallowing, difficulty swallowing gradually increasing, first on one side then spreading to both sides of the throat); persistent sore throat, increasing gradually, possibly accompanied by earache; swollen lymph nodes in the neck (hard, firm, limited mobility, painless). In the late stages, patients show signs of weight loss, difficulty breathing and hoarseness due to the tumor invading the larynx and nerves.

According to Dr. Dung, the cause of hypopharyngeal cancer has not been clearly identified, but there are some notable risk factors such as smoking as the incidence of hypopharyngeal cancer increases with the level of smoking;

Drinking alcohol: Alcohol irritates the throat lining, increasing the risk of disease;

Poor oral hygiene causes commensal bacteria to thrive, causing chronic inflammation in the throat area. Prolonged inflammation is a favorable factor for hypopharyngeal cancer;

HPV infection is a risk factor for nasopharyngeal cancer, including hypopharyngeal cancer; chronic irritation of the throat due to gastroesophageal reflux;

Plummer-Vinson syndrome: Characterized by dysphagia, anemia, iron deficiency, and esophageal webs. Associated with increased rates of hypopharyngeal cancer in nonsmoking women in northern European countries;

Environmental pollution or workers exposed to asbestos and wood dust increase the risk of hypopharyngeal cancer. Diagnosis of hypopharyngeal cancer requires specialized and precise techniques to determine the location, extent of invasion and type of cancer cells.

Recognizing risk factors and implementing early diagnostic methods are extremely important in detecting and treating hypopharyngeal cancer promptly and effectively.

Doctor Dung recommends that people in the high-risk group (from 45-65 years old, with the habit of smoking, drinking alcohol...), or having any unusual symptoms suspected to be related to hypopharyngeal cancer, should proactively go to reputable medical facilities for screening at least once a year.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/ho-noi-hach-co-phai-dau-hieu-cua-ung-thu-ha-hong-d228130.html