Last updated: 02/17/2009

Smokers are at high risk of throat cancer. According to the Harvard Medical School, throat cancer also is associated closely with other cancers: 15% of throat-cancer patients also are diagnosed with cancer of the mouth, esophagus, or lung. Another...

10–20% of throat-cancer patients develop these other cancers later. Other people at risk include those who drink a lot of alcohol, especially if they also smoke. Vitamin A deficiency and certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection also have been associated with an increased risk of throat cancer.

Surgical treatment for hypopharyngeal carcinomas is difficult as most patients are diagnosed with advanced disease, and five-year disease specific survival is only 30%. Cure rates have been the highest with surgical resection followed by postoperative radiotherapy. Immediate reconstruction can be accomplished with regional and free tissue transfers. These techniques have greatly reduced morbidity, and allow most patients to successfully resume an oral diet.