Thorat Cancer?

[anonymous741]

Two weeks back i was down with sore throat. I went to an ENT specialist who said that it looked like a viral pharyngitis and did not find anything wrong. The sore throat lasted for a week and went away. I am a smoker and a drinker. I was fine for a week during which time i did not smoke or drink. On the weekend a smoked little and drank alcohol. The sore throat came back. It started as a feeling of lump in my throat (couldnt feel an actual lump, just a sensation) and then went on to pain in upper throat behind the soft palate. Sometimes i have pain in my right ear. The pain is more pronounced on the right side. I have no other symptoms like headaches, fever, cold etc. The doctor seems to think its a baterial infection and has given antibiotics. The sore throat is more severe the moment i wake up in the morning and just before i go to bed. For the rest of the day it is mild. Could this be a sign of throat cancer?

[Fernando Roque, MD]

Hi.  Laryngopharyngeal Reflux or LPR is usually a temporary condition, and should resolve within 1-2 months with proper medication and lifestyle changes (e.g. avoiding cigarettes, caffeine etc.).  It could, however, recur if those lifestyle changes are not made permanent.  Nexium is a well tolerated drug and is safe to take even for several weeks.  The most common side effects are headache and mild diarrhea occurring in about 5% of people taking this medication.  Hiatal hernia can be asymptomatic or have symptoms similar to reflux disease.  An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy or even a simple chest x-ray can detect most hiatal hernias.

[anonymous741]

HI Fernando Roque

My physician told me i am suffering from LPR. And the refulx is causing me to have a sore throat. He told me that it is being caused by the sphlinter muscle not functioning properly causing the acid to come right up to the throat. I am currently on Nexium. He said that Nexium should resolve the problem within a month. I had couple of questions
1) Is this just a temporary loss of the sphlinter muscle function and will start functioning properly given time and lifestyle changes suggested (avoiding caffeine, alcohol etc)
2) Are there any harmful die effects of Nexium if i take it for a short term
3) How do i know whether its not a hiatal Hernia that is the root cause?

Please help

[Fernando Roque, MD]

Hi.  It will take around 5 days of antibiotic use to really determine whether the treatment is effective or not.  Cancer in the throat area usually presents initially as a painless mass. Pain only manifests when the mass has already enlarged markedly.  So if you're experiencing considerable pain, your doctor should have discovered a mass when he checked you.  Now, I don't know how extensive your doctor has examined your throat area.  If it really bothers you, have yourself checked by another doctor, preferably an ENT specialist (otorhinolaryngologist).  If no suspicious lumps are found, then you most probably don't have cancer.  And stop smoking!!!

[anonymous741]

hi guys, its been 6 days and the sore throat is still there. Today is the 3rd day of anitbiotics. Some things i noticed
- It is the worst in the morning when i get up
- it keeps alternating between a lump in my throat and pain in the soft palate
- it improves as the day progresses but worsens towards the night.

I have been smoking only for 4 years. The average was 10 cigs a day. I am really scared. How common is throat cancer in young adults? I am 25 years old

[rich3009]

If this is worrying you now then common sense tells you pack in that smoking, it wastes so many lives and for what.
I used to smoke years ago and quitting is not easy, but its a challenge you have to win, smoking is not an option.

[anonymous741]

Thank you for your reply. What makes you think its not throat cancer? Is it because it went away for a week before coming back? i am in a state of panic. Could stress worsen the symptoms. Please help.

[Fernando Roque, MD]

Hi.  No. From your description, it doesn't seem to me like throat cancer. Your doctor is probably correct in diagnosing it as an infection, although it may be viral instead of bacterial, which may be the reason why it does not seem to be responding to the antibiotics.  The other reason why the infection has gotten prolonged instead of resolving is the fact that you have continued smoking intermittently.  Cigarette smoke impairs the immune system, so it would be best for you to quit.