Disha Vakani‘s brother Mayur Vakani recently refuted reports that his sister and Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’s Dayaben is suffering from throat cancer and said that she’s “hale and hearty”. Recent media reports had speculated that Disha Vakani, who quit the comedy show after giving birth to her first child (a baby girl), has throat cancer because of the peculiar voice of her character in the show. (Also read: World Head and Neck Cancer Day: How to look for early signs of mouth cancer; know self-examination tips)
Throat cancer forms in tissues of the pharynx (the hollow tube inside the neck) and includes cancer of nasopharynx (upper part of throat), the oropharynx (the middle part of the pharynx), and the hypopharynx (the bottom part of the pharynx). Cancer of the larynx (voice box) may also be included as a type of throat cancer. Cancers of head and neck cancers usually begin in the cells that line the mucosal surfaces of the head and neck like inside the mouth, throat, nasal cavity, tonsil, tongue, voice box, salivary glands, para nasal sinuses, muscles and nerves in the head and neck.
Dr. Sunny Jain, HOD and Sr. Consultant Oncology, Marengo QRG Hospital Faridabad in a conversation with HT Digital elaborates on the signs and symptoms of throat cancer, what causes it and the treatment.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF THROAT CANCER
· Difficulty swallowing
· Hoarseness
· Persistent pain in Ear
· Change in voice texture
· Fatigue
· Neck nodes (lymph node) enlargement
· Weight changes, including unintended loss or gain
· Persistent cough or trouble breathing
· Persistent, unexplained muscle or joint pain
· Persistent, unexplained fevers or night sweats
CAUSES OF THROAT CANCER
Body cells are programmed to grow at a set rate and to die at a set time, whenever there is disruption in this programme either the cells are over produced or the cells don’t die as per the programme or if there is defect in the repair mechanism of the defective or mutated cell to it leads to cancer. DNA, the genetic backbone, is the formation which maps out this whole process when cells obtain changes (mutations) in their genetic material or DNA blood cell production becomes unmanageable. Leading to collection of abnormal cells.
THROAT CANCER: WHO’S AT RISK
Factors causing the changes in the DNA of the cell lining the throat are:
· Alcohol and tobacco including secondhand smoke and smokeless tobacco, sometimes called “chewing tobacco” or “snuff”, in short tobacco in any form predisposes the consumer for developing cancer. Alcohol and smoking work in synergism to cause cancer.
· Infection of human papillomavirus (HPV), especially HPV type 16, is a risk factor for oropharyngeal cancers
· Paan (betel quid)- Prolonged use causes submucosal fibrosis which is a predisposing factor for oral cancer, it also causes decreased mouth opening.
· Occupational exposure: Exposure to wood dust is a risk factor for nasopharyngeal cancer, exposure to metal, textile, ceramic, logging, and food industries may have an increased risk of cancer of the larynx (voice box). Industrial exposure to wood dust, nickel dust, or formaldehyde is a risk factor for cancers of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity.
· Radiation exposure: History of prior radiation to the head and neck, for any condition or cancer, is a risk factor.
· Epstein-Barr virus infection: Infection with the Epstein-Barr virus is a risk factor for nasopharyngeal cancer and cancer of the salivary glands.
· Underlying genetic disorders. Some genetic disorders like Fanconi anaemia, can raise the risk of growing precancerous lesions and cancers early in life.
WHAT ARE TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR THROAT CANCER
· Surgery: It is a branch of medicine concerned with diseases and conditions requiring or amenable to operative or manual procedures. Surgery involves removing the diseased or cancerous part. Surgery is a recommended option for cancer arising from the oral cavity which includes lips, buccal mucosa, ant 2/3 part of the tongue, floor of mouth. Patients undergoing surgery and having microscopically negative margin (R0)- meaning absence of cancer cells at the cut end of the specimen have a high percentage of cure rate and disease-free survival.
· Radiation therapy: It is a cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumours. For head and neck cancer which are locally advanced (non-metastatic) usually are not amenable to surgery. Concurrent chemo and radiotherapy forms the backbone of the cancer treatment for head and neck cancers (as per the stage and guidelines)
· Chemotherapy consisting of anti-cancer medicines targeting the rapidly dividing cells.
· Targeted therapy: These are special drugs which target a particular cell type based on the biopsy report and IHC/Flow cytometry.
· Clinical trials.