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1. The Dangers of Oropharyngeal Cancer
Oropharyngeal cancer is a disease that is confined to the formation of malignant cells in the
tissues of the oropharynx and its surroundings.
The oropharynx is in the center of the throat (or pharynx) which includes the following:
1. Behind the mouth, one-third of the tongue
2. Back and side walls of the throat
3. Tonsils
4. Soft palate
The pharynx is a tube about 5-inches long that includes nasopharynx, oropharynx and
hypopharynx. However, while oropharyngeal cancer is commonly related to the head and neck,
it does affect other parts of the oral cavity like the throat, larynx, oesophagus, trachea and
nose.
While it’s not easy for a person with no prior knowledge about human anatomy to find these
terminologies easy to comprehend, and oropharyngeal cancer is commonly linked with throat
cancer, but these are two different cancers. Let’s find out the causes of this cancer:
Causes
Following are the risk factors of oropharyngeal cancer. It doesn’t necessarily mean you will get
cancer, but a risk factor increases the chances of contracting a disease:
1. Contracting Human Papillomavirus (HPV) – People having HPV are linked too often with
oropharyngeal cancer.
2. Binge alcohol abuse

2. 3. People who have smoked for more than 10 years. In addition to oropharyngeal cancer,
tobacco use is a predisposing factor of gum disease. Check this video to learn more
about gum disease causes.
4. A diet that’s low in vegetables and fruits
5. Chewing betel quid – a smokeless tobacco that’s common around India and other parts
of Asia
6. Drinking mate – a stimulant drink famous across South America
Symptoms
The Symptoms that will be discussed below aren’t necessarily linked to oropharyngeal cancer.
However, a person with oropharyngeal cancer can have the following signs:
 A persistent sore throat
 Trouble swallowing food, or drinking fluids
 Difficulty in opening the mouth
 Unprecedented weight loss
 Ear pain
 Vocal changes
 Coughing up blood
 Difficulty in moving the tongue
Diagnosis
If you are showing any of the aforementioned symptoms, a doctor may test you with the
following procedure:
 Physical examination: It’s one of the most common types of examination in which your
oral cavity is thoroughly checked for swollen lymph nodes. A Chandler dentist may
preferably do the medical dental examination of your mouth and neck because that’s
where your lymph nodes are. A long-handed mirror could be used to diagnose any
abnormal areas.
 PET-CT scan: A combined positron emission tomography (PET) and computed
tomography (CT) is conducted simultaneously and provides a more viable view and
better details of the areas inside the mouth. A PET-CT scan is normally used to diagnose
a cancer or to track the progress of a cancer treatment.
 Other procedures may include an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) that uses radio and
magnetic waves to process a series of detailed pictures, endoscopy or laryngoscopy.

3. If the presence of cancer cells is detected, then the HPV test is conducted to check for the HPV
infection.
Treatment and recovery
There are four standard treatments for cancers:
1. Radiation therapy
2. Surgery
3. Chemotherapy, and
4. Targeted therapy
The recovery and treatments depend on the stage of cancer, the patient’s overall health, the
underlying cause of cancer (whether it was due to HPV infection or smoking), and the affected
area of the lymph nodes.