Tonsillar Cancer: Understand the Symptoms and Causes to Identify and Treat it Early!

 

Case Study:
“Mr. Cheng, a 55-year-old with a long-term history of smoking and heavy alcohol use, recently sought medical attention due to persistent throat pain and difficulty swallowing. An oral examination revealed swelling and ulceration on one of his tonsils. A biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of tonsil cancer. Unfortunately, due to late detection, the cancer had already metastasized to the cervical lymph nodes, requiring a comprehensive treatment plan involving surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy.”

 

What is Tonsil Cancer?
Tonsil cancer is a malignant tumor arising from the tonsillar tissue, predominantly classified as squamous cell carcinoma and categorized as a type of head and neck cancer. In Hong Kong, most patients are males over 45 years old. Tonsil cancer is staged into four phases, but early symptoms are often nonspecific, leading to delayed diagnosis. Many patients are diagnosed at advanced stages (III or IV) when the cancer has already spread to other body parts.

Common Symptoms and Complications
Early Symptoms:

• Throat discomfort or mild pain, often mistaken for pharyngitis.
• Unilateral tonsil enlargement, surface roughness or ulceration, sore throat, and difficulty opening the mouth.

Progressive Symptoms:

• Severe throat pain, accompanied by tinnitus or pain on the same side of the ear, unrelieved by medication.
• Dysphagia, hoarseness, and painless neck lumps (indicating cervical lymph node metastasis).
• Rapid weight loss and breathing difficulties (due to airway obstruction by the tumor).

Late-Stage Symptoms:

• Distant metastasis to organs like the lungs or liver, leading to organ failure.

Causes and Risk Factors

• HPV Infection: 70% of tonsil cancers are linked to HPV, particularly high-risk strains like HPV-16.
• Chronic Inflammation: Recurrent tonsillitis may trigger cellular mutations.
• Smoking and Alcohol: Synergistic damage to mucosal tissues by tobacco and alcohol.
• Environmental Exposure: Long-term contact with chemicals or radiation.
• Immunosuppression: Higher risk in HIV/AIDS patients or organ transplant recipients.

Diagnostic Methods

• Laryngoscopy: Visual examination of tonsil morphology and cervical lymph nodes.
• Biopsy: Tissue sampling for pathological analysis.
• CT/MRI Scans: Assess tumor size and invasion extent.
• PET-CT Scans: Detect systemic metastasis.
• HPV Testing: Determine viral involvement to guide treatment.

Treatment Options
Treatment depends on cancer staging, typically involving a multimodal approach:

Surgery:

• Early-stage tumors: Tonsillectomy with preservation of surrounding functions.
• Advanced cases: Extensive resection with cervical lymph node dissection.

Radiotherapy:

• Effective for radiation-sensitive tumors (e.g., HPV-positive cases), used alone or post-surgery.
• Advanced techniques like Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) minimize damage to healthy tissues.

Chemotherapy and Targeted Therapy:

• For advanced or recurrent cases, combined with targeted drugs.
• Immunotherapy (e.g., PD-1 inhibitors): Shows significant efficacy in metastatic or recurrent tonsil cancer.

By raising awareness and promoting early detection, the prognosis of tonsil cancer can be significantly improved. Regular check-ups and lifestyle modifications are critical for high-risk populations.

Early detection is critical for effective treatment. Please immediately contact ENT Head and Neck Surgery Centre for detailed evaluation by our ENT specialists (Tel: 3100 0555).

Source:

HK ENT Specialist Ltd.

ENT Head and Neck Surgery Centre

For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,

Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,

Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services

https://www.hkentspecialist.hk