Treatment areas · 05
Pharyngeal Cancer
The passage from the back of the nose to the oesophagus; oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
The pharynx (throat) is a muscular passage lined with mucosa that begins behind the nasal cavity and extends down to the oesophagus (food pipe). Both the air you breathe and the food you eat pass through it, which makes the pharynx an important crossroads of breathing and swallowing. Anatomically it has three parts: the nasopharynx behind the nose; the oropharynx behind the mouth, which includes the tonsils, the base of the tongue and the soft palate; and the hypopharynx, which lies directly behind the voice box (larynx).1,2,3
Most pharyngeal cancers arise from the flat cells that line these areas. Oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers differ from one another in how they present, in their risk factors and in how they respond to treatment. Complaints such as a persistent sore throat, difficulty swallowing, earache or a lump in the neck that does not hurt may be the first signs of a problem in this area. When a tumour is noticed early, the range of treatment options is wider and it is easier to preserve swallowing and speech.1,4,5
This section starts with pharyngeal cancer in general, then takes oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer separately. Further pages explain how symptoms are assessed and how a diagnosis is made, describe treatment approaches such as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and cover what to expect after treatment in terms of eating, speaking and returning to daily life. The information here is written in plain language to help you go into conversations with your doctor well prepared.
References
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National Cancer Institute. Head and neck cancers [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Cancer Institute; [reviewed 2021 May 25; cited 2026 Oct 5]. Available from: cancer.gov ↩
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National Cancer Institute. Oropharyngeal cancer treatment (PDQ®)–patient version [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Cancer Institute; [updated 2025 May 16; cited 2026 Oct 5]. Available from: cancer.gov ↩
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American Cancer Society. Laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer [Internet]. Atlanta (GA): American Cancer Society; [cited 2026 Oct 5]. Available from: cancer.org ↩
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Mehanna H, Evans M, Beasley M, Chatterjee S, Dilkes M, Homer J, et al. Oropharyngeal cancer: United Kingdom National Multidisciplinary Guidelines. J Laryngol Otol. 2016;130(S2):S90-S96. doi:10.1017/S0022215116000505 ↩
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Pracy P, Loughran S, Good J, Parmar S, Goranova R. Hypopharyngeal cancer: United Kingdom National Multidisciplinary Guidelines. J Laryngol Otol. 2016;130(S2):S104-S110. doi:10.1017/S0022215116000529 ↩
Topics in this area · 6 topics
- 01Pharyngeal Cancer: An OverviewWhat pharyngeal cancer is, which parts of the throat it affects, the symptoms it causes, and how diagnosis and treatment are planned.
- 02Oropharyngeal CancerSymptoms, link with HPV, diagnosis and treatment options for oropharyngeal cancer, which develops in the tonsils, base of the tongue and soft palate.
- 03Hypopharyngeal CancerThe symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options for cancer that develops in the hypopharynx, the part of the throat behind the voice box.
- 04Symptoms and Diagnosis of Pharyngeal CancerWhich symptoms of pharyngeal cancer need attention, and how the diagnosis is made through examination, endoscopy, biopsy and imaging.
- 05Treatment of Pharyngeal CancerSurgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy options for pharyngeal cancer, how treatment is planned, and the side effects that may be expected during treatment.
- 06Recovery After Pharyngeal Cancer TreatmentWhat to expect after pharyngeal cancer treatment in terms of swallowing, eating, speech and returning to daily life, and what helps recovery.
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