Hypopharyngeal cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer)
cells form in the tissues of the hypopharynx.
Use of tobacco products and heavy drinking can affect the risk
of developing hypopharyngeal cancer.
Signs and symptoms of hypopharyngeal cancer include a sore throat
and ear pain.
Tests that examine the throat and neck are used to help diagnose hypopharyngeal cancer and find out whether the cancer has spread.
Certain factors affect prognosis (chance
of recovery) and treatment options.
Hypopharyngeal cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer)
cells form in the tissues of the hypopharynx.
The hypopharynx is the
bottom part of the pharynx (throat).
The pharynx is a hollow tube about 5 inches long that starts behind the nose, goes down the neck,
and ends at the top of the trachea
(windpipe) and esophagus (the tube
that goes from the throat to the stomach). Air and food pass through the pharynx on
the way to the trachea or the esophagus.
EnlargeHypopharyngeal cancer forms in the tissues of the hypopharynx (the bottom part of the throat). It may spread to nearby tissues or to cartilage around the thyroid or trachea, the bone under the tongue (hyoid bone), the thyroid, the trachea, the larynx, or the esophagus. It may also spread to the lymph nodes in the neck, the carotid artery, the tissues around the upper part of the spinal column, the lining of the chest cavity, and to other parts of the body (not shown).
Most hypopharyngeal cancers form in squamous cells,
the thin, flat cells lining the inside of the
hypopharynx. The hypopharynx has 3 different areas. Cancer may be found in 1 or more of these areas.
Use of tobacco products and heavy drinking can affect the risk
of developing hypopharyngeal cancer.
Anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer; not having risk factors doesn't mean that you will not get cancer. Talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk. Risk factors include the following:
Signs and symptoms of hypopharyngeal cancer include a sore throat
and ear pain.
These and other signs and symptoms may be caused by hypopharyngeal cancer or by other conditions.
Check with your doctor if you have any of the following:
A sore throat that does not go away.
Ear pain.
A lump in the neck.
Painful or difficult swallowing.
A change in voice.
Tests that examine the throat and neck are used to help diagnose hypopharyngeal cancer and find out whether the cancer has spread.
The following tests and procedures may be used:
Physical exam and health history: An exam of the body to check general signs of health, including checking for signs of disease, such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual. A history of the patient’s health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken.
Physical exam of the throat: An exam in which
the doctor feels for swollen lymph
nodes in the neck and looks down the throat with a small,
long-handled mirror to check for abnormal areas.
Neurological exam: A series of questions and tests to check the brain, spinal cord, and nerve function. The exam checks a person’s mental status, coordination, and ability to walk normally, and how well the muscles, senses, and reflexes work. This may also be called a neuro exam or a neurologic exam.
CT scan (CAT
scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, such as the head, neck, chest, and lymph nodes, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography.EnlargeComputed tomography (CT) scan of the head and neck. The patient lies on a table that slides through the CT scanner, which takes x-ray pictures of the inside of the head and neck.
PET scan (positron emission tomography scan): A procedure to find malignanttumor cells in the body. A small amount of radioactiveglucose (sugar) is injected into a vein. The PET scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body. Malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do. A PET scan and CT scan may be done at the same time. This is called a PET-CT.EnlargePET (positron emission tomography) scan. The patient lies on a table that slides through the PET machine. The head rest and white strap help the patient lie still. A small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is injected into the patient's vein, and a scanner makes a picture of where the glucose is being used in the body. Cancer cells show up brighter in the picture because they take up more glucose than normal cells do.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): A procedure that uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, such as the head, neck, chest, and lymph nodes. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI).
Endoscopy: A
procedure used to look at areas in the throat that cannot be seen
with a mirror during the physical exam of the throat. An endoscope (a thin, lighted tube) is inserted through the
nose or mouth to check the throat for anything that seems unusual. Tissue samples may be taken for biopsy.
Biopsy: The removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope to check for signs of cancer.
Bone scan: A procedure to check if there are rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells, in the bone. A very small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein and travels through the bloodstream. The radioactive material collects in the bones with cancer and is detected by a scanner.
Barium esophagogram: An x-ray of the esophagus. The patient drinks a liquid that contains barium (a silver-white metalliccompound). The liquid coats the esophagus and x-rays are taken.
Esophagoscopy: A procedure to look inside the esophagus to check for abnormal areas. An esophagoscope (a thin, lighted tube) is inserted through the mouth or nose and down the throat into the esophagus. Tissue samples may be taken for biopsy.
Bronchoscopy: A procedure to look inside the trachea and large airways in the lung for abnormal areas. A bronchoscope (a thin, lighted tube) is inserted through the nose or mouth into the trachea and lungs. Tissue samples may be taken for biopsy.
Certain factors affect prognosis (chance
of recovery) and treatment options.
The stage of the cancer (whether it
affects part of the hypopharynx, involves the whole hypopharynx, or has spread
to other places in the body). Hypopharyngeal cancer is usually detected in later stages because early signs and symptoms rarely occur.
Keeping the patient's ability to talk, eat, and breathe as normal as possible.
The patient's general health.
Patients who have had hypopharyngeal cancer are at an increased risk of developing a second
cancer in the head or neck. Frequent and
careful follow-up is important.
Stages of Hypopharyngeal Cancer
Key Points
After hypopharyngeal cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done
to find out if cancer cells have spread within the hypopharynx or to other
parts of the body.
There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body.
Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body.
The following stages are used for hypopharyngeal
cancer:
Stage 0 (Carcinoma in Situ)
Stage I
Stage II
Stage III
Stage IV
After surgery, the stage of the cancer may change and more treatment may be needed.
Hypopharyngeal cancer can recur (come back) after it has been treated.
After hypopharyngeal cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done
to find out if cancer cells have spread within the hypopharynx or to other
parts of the body.
The process used to find out if cancer has spread within the
hypopharynx or to other parts of the
body is called staging. The
information gathered from the staging process determines the
stage of the disease. It is
important to know the stage of the disease in order to plan treatment.
The results of some of the tests and procedures used to diagnosehypopharyngeal cancer are often also used to stage the disease.
There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body.
Tissue. The cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas.
Lymph system. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system. The cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body.
Blood. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood. The cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body.
Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body.
When cancer spreads to another part of the body, it is called metastasis. Cancer cells break away from where they began (the primary tumor) and travel through the lymph system or blood.
Lymph system. The cancer gets into the lymph system, travels through the lymph vessels, and forms a tumor (metastatic tumor) in another part of the body.
Blood. The cancer gets into the blood, travels through the blood vessels, and forms a tumor (metastatic tumor) in another part of the body.
The metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if hypopharyngeal cancer spreads to the lung, the cancer cells in the lung are actually hypopharyngeal cancer cells. The disease is metastatic hypopharyngeal cancer, not lung cancer.
Many cancer deaths are caused when cancer moves from the original tumor and spreads to other tissues and organs. This is called metastatic cancer. This animation shows how cancer cells travel from the place in the body where they first formed to other parts of the body.
The following stages are used for hypopharyngeal
cancer:
The staging described below is only used for patients who have not had lymph nodes in the neck removed and checked for signs of cancer.
EnlargeTumor sizes are often measured in centimeters (cm) or inches. Common food items that can be used to show tumor size in cm include: a pea (1 cm), a peanut (2 cm), a grape (3 cm), a walnut (4 cm), a lime (5 cm or 2 inches), an egg (6 cm), a peach (7 cm), and a grapefruit (10 cm or 4 inches).
is larger than 4 centimeters or has spread to the larynx (voice box) or the mucosa (inner lining) of the esophagus. Cancer may have spread to one lymph node on the same side of the neck as the tumor. The affected lymph node is 3 centimeters or smaller; or
has spread to one lymph node on the same side of the neck as the tumor. The affected lymph node is 3 centimeters or smaller. Cancer is also found:
in only one area of the hypopharynx and/or the tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller; or
in more than one area of the hypopharynx or in a nearby area, or the tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 4 centimeters and has not spread to the larynx.
Stage IV
Stage IV is divided into stages IVA, IVB, and IVC as follows:
is found in the hypopharynx and may have spread to the thyroid cartilage, the bone above the thyroid cartilage, the thyroid gland, the cartilage around the trachea, the esophagus, or the nearby muscles and fatty tissue in the neck. Cancer has spread to one of the following:
one lymph node on the same side of the neck as the tumor. The affected lymph node is larger than 3 centimeters but not larger than 6 centimeters; or
more than one lymph node anywhere in the neck. The affected lymph nodes are 6 centimeters or smaller.
may be any size and cancer may have spread to the thyroid cartilage, the bone above the thyroid cartilage, the thyroid gland, the cartilage around the trachea, the esophagus, or the nearby muscles and fatty tissue in the neck. Cancer has spread to a lymph node that is larger than 6 centimeters or has spread through the outside covering of a lymph node into nearby connective tissue; or
has spread to the connective tissue covering the muscles that support the spinal column, the area around the carotid artery, or the area between the lungs. Cancer may have also spread to lymph nodes in the neck.
In stage IVC, cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lung, liver, or bone.
After surgery, the stage of the cancer may change and more treatment may be needed.
If the cancer is removed by surgery, a pathologist will examine a sample of the cancer tissue under a microscope. Sometimes, the pathologist’s review results in a change to the stage of the cancer and more treatment is needed after surgery.
Hypopharyngeal cancer can recur (come back) after it has been treated.
The cancer may come back in the hypopharynx or in other parts of the body.
Treatment Option Overview
Key Points
There are different types of treatment for patients with
hypopharyngeal cancer.
Three types of standard treatment are used:
Surgery
Radiation therapy
Chemotherapy
New types of treatment are being tested in clinical
trials.
Treatment for hypopharyngeal cancer may cause side effects.
Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial.
Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment.
Follow-up tests may be needed.
There are different types of treatment for patients with
hypopharyngeal cancer.
Different types of treatment are available for patients with
hypopharyngeal cancer. Some treatments
are standard (the currently used treatment), and some are being tested in
clinical trials. A
treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current
treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer.
When clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the
standard treatment, the new
treatment may become the standard treatment. Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.
Three types of standard treatment are used:
Surgery
Surgery (removing the cancer in
an operation) is a common treatment for all stages of hypopharyngeal cancer. The following
surgical procedures may be used:
Laryngopharyngectomy: Surgery to remove the
larynx (voice box) and part of
the pharynx (throat).
Partial laryngopharyngectomy: Surgery to remove part of the
larynx and part of the pharynx. A partial laryngopharyngectomy prevents loss of
the voice.
After the doctor removes all the cancer that can be seen at the
time of the surgery, some patients may be given chemotherapy or radiation
therapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left. Treatment given
after the surgery, to lower the risk that the cancer will come back, is called
adjuvant therapy.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the area of the body with cancer.
EnlargeExternal-beam radiation therapy of the head and neck. A machine is used to aim high-energy radiation at the cancer. The machine can rotate around the patient, delivering radiation from many different angles to provide highly conformal treatment. A mesh mask helps keep the patient’s head and neck from moving during treatment. Small ink marks are put on the mask. The ink marks are used to line up the radiation machine in the same position before each treatment.
Radiation therapy may work better in patients who have
stopped smoking before beginning treatment. External radiation therapy to the
thyroid or the
pituitary gland may change the way
the thyroid gland works. A blood test to check the thyroid hormone level in the body may be done before
and after therapy to make sure the thyroid gland is working properly.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping the cells from dividing. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body (systemic chemotherapy).
Chemotherapy may be used to shrink the tumor before surgery or radiation therapy. This is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial.
For some patients, taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice. Clinical trials are part of the cancer research process. Clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment.
Many of today's standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials. Patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment.
Patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future. Even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments, they often answer important questions and help move research forward.
Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment.
Some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment. Other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better. There are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring (coming back) or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment.
Clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country. Information about clinical trials supported by NCI can be found on NCI’s clinical trials search webpage. Clinical trials supported by other organizations can be found on the ClinicalTrials.gov website.
Follow-up tests may be needed.
Some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated. Some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working. Decisions about whether to continue, change, or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests.
Some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended. The results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred (come back). These tests are sometimes called follow-up tests or check-ups.
For hypopharyngeal cancer, follow-up to check for recurrence should include careful head and neck exams once a month in the first year after treatment ends, every 2 months in the second year, every 3 months in the third year, and every 6 months thereafter.
Partial laryngopharyngectomy with or without high-dose radiation
therapy to the lymph nodes on both sides of the neck.
Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.
A clinical trial of chemotherapy followed by
radiation therapy or surgery.
Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.
Chemotherapy given during or after radiation therapy or after surgery.
A clinical trial of chemotherapy followed by surgery and/or radiation
therapy.
A clinical trial
of chemotherapy given at the same time as radiation therapy.
A clinical trial of surgery followed by chemotherapy given at the same time as radiation therapy.
Treatment and follow-up of stage III hypopharyngeal cancer is complex and is ideally overseen by a team of specialists with experience and expertise in treating this type of cancer. If all or part of the hypopharynx is removed, the patient may need plastic surgery and other special help with breathing, eating, and talking.
Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.
A clinical trial of surgery followed by chemotherapy given at the same time as radiation therapy.
Surgical treatment and follow-up of stage IV hypopharyngeal cancer is complex and is ideally overseen by a team of specialists with experience and expertise in treating this type of cancer. If all or part of the hypopharynx is removed, the patient may need plastic surgery and other special help with breathing, eating, and talking.
Chemotherapy given at the same time as radiation
therapy.
A clinical trial of radiation therapy with chemotherapy.
Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.
Treatment of Recurrent and Metastatic Hypopharyngeal Cancer
Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.
To Learn More About Hypopharyngeal Cancer
For more information from the National Cancer Institute about hypopharyngeal cancer, see the following:
