Imaging Tests and Treatments of Throat Cancer

Mostly men are affected by the throat cancer than women due to lifestyle and habits. Except this, there are many reasons are there for which people are affected by throat cancer. However, there are many top hospitals in India where you can get the best treatment for throat cancer. The doctor uses imaging tests of neck, chest, and head to get the clear view of the progression of your throat cancer which will help to take the perfect decision for the treatment.

Types of Imaging Test

There are several types of imaging test for throat cancer and these are given below.

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): In this procedure radio waves and powerful magnets are used to create the image of the inner part of your neck in detail. MRI helps to observe the tumor and to determine the existence of the cancerous cells in the other part of your body. You will have to lie in a narrow tube for the making the image by the machine. This procedure can be made within one hour.
• Compound Tomography Scan (CT scan): A cross-sectional image of your body is done using X-rays. CT scan provides images of soft tissues as well as the organ in the body. The doctor can determine the size and the location of the tumor by this process.
• Position Emission Tomography (PET) Scan: In this process, one kind of radioactive sugar is injected into your blood and it will help to create the image of the region of radioactivity in your body and this process is followed in advanced stages of throat cancer.
• Barium Swallow: If you have a problem for swallowing, you will have to drink a liquid which is thick for coating your throat and esophagus and this procedure is performed to get the X-ray images of your esophagus and throat.
• Chest X-ray: When your throat cancer spread to the lungs, a chest X-ray is essential to examine the abnormalities in the chest.

Treatments for Throat Cancer

There are different types of specialists who will help you for with the treatment of your throat cancer. An oncologist will perform the surgical process to remove tumors. A radiation oncologist will make the treatment using radiation therapy. A pathologist will examine the sample of tissues for biopsy. An anesthesiologist will administer monitor your condition if you will have the need for biopsy or surgery. The different treatment options for throat cancer are radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. These treatments are given below.

• Radiation Therapy: This process is done to destroy malignant cancerous cells using high-power ray. The types are Intensity-modulated radiotherapy and 3D-conformal radiation therapy. Brachytherapy is applied for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer.
• Chemotherapy: When a large tumors spread to the lymph node as well as other organs, chemotherapy, a drug that helps to kill and slow down the growing process of malignant cells.
• Targeted Therapy: This process includes drugs which help to curb the spread and growing procedure of cancer cells by applying specific molecules which causes the growth of tumors. This procedure can be applied along with radiation therapy and chemotherapy.