What is tonsil cancer (tonsil tumor)?

Tonsil cancer is a malignant tumor that develops from lymphoid tissue and is a type of throat tumor. A malignant neoplasm can develop in the palatine tonsil (cancer of the palatine tonsil), in the posterior wall of the pharynx (cancer of the pharyngeal tonsil), in the mucous membrane of the tongue (cancer of the lingual tonsil). This disease accounts for about 3% of all cancer pathologies. Tonsil cancer occurs rarely at a young age. It is usually diagnosed after 50-60 years, more often in men.

Tonsil cancer is characterized by rapid growth and a tendency to form metastases. However, tonsil tumors can be successfully combated with the right choice of treatment and the use of the most effective methods. If you choose a good clinic and consult with experienced specialists, you will be able to use every possible chance to defeat the disease.

Causes of tonsil cancer

The exact reasons why healthy tonsil cells mutate into cancer cells are currently unknown. Among the factors that can significantly increase the likelihood of developing tonsil cancer are smoking and alcohol abuse. It is believed that long-term and simultaneous exposure of tonsil tissue to substances with carcinogenic properties from tobacco smoke and alcohol significantly increases the risk of malignancy of tonsil cells.

Among other factors that can provoke the development of pathology, oncogenic human papillomavirus is indicated. Among patients diagnosed with tonsil cancer, this type of virus is found 30 times more often than among people who do not have this disease.

Another factor that can provoke the development of tonsil cancer may be taking medications that reduce the intensity of the body’s immune response (immunosuppressants).

What does tonsil cancer look like in its early stages?

At the initial stage of development, tonsil cancer is asymptomatic and does not spread beyond the tonsils. The appearance of the tumor depends on its type. It may be a dense, lumpy formation, the edges of which are not clearly defined. Also, often the neoplasm can look like an ulcer on the mucous membrane of the tonsil. As a rule, at this stage, pathology is diagnosed by chance during the treatment of other diseases or during a routine visit to the doctor.

Symptoms and first signs of tonsil tumor

Among the first symptoms of tonsil cancer, the most typical are the following:

• slight sore throat when swallowing;
• frequent discomfort in the throat;
• the appearance of a “lump in the throat” sensation;
• blood in saliva and bad breath;
• unreasonable weakness and lethargy.

Over time, the pain becomes more severe, radiates to the ear and can spread to the neck, and symptoms of intoxication appear. The affected area becomes more extensive, the tonsil enlarges, extensive ulcerations and a grayish coating can often appear on it, the tumor can affect the root of the tongue, palate and other tissues. Lymph nodes are affected and metastases may occur.

Types of tonsil cancer

Doctors divide tonsil cancer into three types:

• Papillomatous. The neoplasm has the appearance of a polyp.
• Infiltrative. It looks like a compaction with a bumpy structure.
• Ulcerative. Ulcers with hardened edges form on the mucous membrane of the tonsils. It is diagnosed more often than other types.

Depending on what type of cells are found in the tumor, oncologists also distinguish several types of tonsil cancer:

• Squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsils. Epithelial cells and mucosal cells become malignant. This is the most common form of tonsil tumors.
• Lymphomas. In this case, the process of degeneration occurs in the cells of the lymphoid tissue located in the tonsils.

Stages of tonsil cancer

Tonsil cancer goes through four stages of development, each of which has characteristic features:

• 1st stage. The tumor does not extend beyond the tonsil mucosa. There are no subjective sensations associated with the development of the tumor.
• 2nd stage. The tumor covers the entire tonsil. The cervical lymph nodes adjacent to it are enlarged. There is a sore throat and discomfort when swallowing.
• 3rd stage. The pathology extends beyond the tonsils. Lymph nodes enlarge on both sides of the neck. The pain intensifies. You can see blood in the saliva. There is an unpleasant odor from the mouth.
• 4th stage. Tonsil cancer spreads to the larynx, nasopharynx, Eustachian tubes, and the bones of the skull are involved in the pathological process. Lymph nodes are greatly enlarged. Metastases are detected in distant organs.

The sooner a person consults a doctor and begins treatment, the more opportunities there will be to fully restore health. However, even in the later stages, the disease can be combated quite effectively if an accurate diagnosis is carried out by determining the histological characteristics of the tumor and identifying its genetic characteristics.

Diagnosis of tonsil cancer

In order to make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive examination. Usually it includes standard research methods, but a doctor can also prescribe additional diagnostics when there is a need to clarify the characteristics of the tumor. Most often, diagnosis of a tonsil tumor includes:

• Laryngoscopy. It is used at the first stage of diagnosis to examine the tonsils, visually assess their size and surface.
• CT, MRI. These diagnostic methods make it possible to accurately determine the size of the tumor, its configuration, the degree of involvement of various tissues and the presence of metastases.
• Laboratory tests. These may be biochemical blood parameters indicating the general condition of the body, determination of throat tumor markers CYFRA 21-1 and SCC, special histological and cytological tests.
• Biopsy with histology. During a biopsy, a sample of tumor tissue is taken, after which it is studied in the laboratory and the cytology and histology of the sample are determined.
• Genetic laboratory studies. The most modern and promising diagnostic method. Its use makes it possible to detect mutations in tumor genes. This is very important information, which provides unique opportunities for personal selection of drugs for the treatment of cancer of the tonsils.

Molecular genetic testing and detection of congenital or acquired mutations can be done in specialized laboratories in different countries. MedTour will help you find a good laboratory that uses the latest techniques for genetic diagnosis of cancer and performs the range of tests you need to diagnose cancer.

How long do people live with tonsil cancer?

Due to the location and ease of access to the tumor, with timely treatment of tonsil cancer, the survival rate is quite high. If the tumor has not spread beyond the throat, there is every opportunity to remove the tumor and then live a long and fulfilling life without any special health problems.

According to statistics, when the disease is detected in the first stages and with proper treatment, 95% of patients live for more than five years.

But even in difficult cases, when the tumor was detected in late stages, the correct choice of treatment gives a fairly high chance of effectively combating the disease.

Treatment of tonsil cancer

If malignant tumors of the tonsils are detected, treatment may include various methods that are selected for each specific situation:

• Surgical removal of the tumor. Usually the tumor, some fragments of adjacent tissue and nearby lymph nodes are removed. If the operation is performed in the early stages, the likelihood of a full recovery is very high. In difficult cases, if the tumor has spread to hard-to-reach places, some clinics may use robotic surgery. In the first years after surgery, the risk of relapse is quite high. If they occur, the tumor is removed again.
• Radiotherapy. Tumor irradiation can be used as an independent treatment method, prescribed before or after surgery. Radiation exposure makes it possible to stop the growth of tumors and destroy malignant cells. Modern methods of radiotherapy, for example, IMRT, make it possible to treat tumors with high precision and cause less damage to healthy tissue. Brachytherapy may be used. In this case, the radioactive substance is placed near the tumor. In this way, it is possible to target the cancer with a higher dose of radiation without causing serious harm to the entire body.

• Chemotherapy. It can be prescribed in conjunction with surgery. In later stages, it can be used as an independent method of treatment, which allows using special drugs to influence the cancer cells of the main tumor and metastases.
• Targeted treatment. Targeted therapy is a type of chemotherapy that allows treatment to be applied more precisely. Targeted drugs are selected in such a way as to affect the cells of a patient’s specific malignant tumor. In this case, healthy tissues do not become the target of the drug. However, in order to select effective targeted therapy, it is necessary to know certain characteristics of the tumor, which are determined using molecular genetic testing.
• Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy drugs act on the body in such a way as to activate its own resources to fight cancer. One of the most promising areas of immunotherapy is the use of antitumor vaccines. Scientists are actively developing such vaccines and it is already possible to use them today. For example, an antitumor autovaccine, which was developed by Ukrainian scientists from the Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology, can be used both for the treatment and prevention of cancer. For its production, the patient’s tumor cells are required, which are specially processed using cytotoxic lectins. After which the resulting drug is injected into the body. It has been proven that this vaccine, used in combination with other treatment methods, doubles survival rate and reduces the risk of relapses.

Leading cancer centers give preference to a personalized approach. Doctors try to select treatment individually for each patient, which allows them to achieve better results. You can learn more about the treatment options for tonsil cancer in advanced medical centers from the MedTour coordinating doctor as part of a free consultation.

Tonsil tumor – prognosis

When diagnosed with tonsil cancer, the prognosis depends on many parameters:

• stages of the disease;
• the number of tissues and organs involved;
• presence or absence of metastases;
• diagnostic accuracy;
• treatments that will be used.

If you go to a good clinic where the best specialists in the treatment of tonsil tumors work, this will significantly improve your prospects for restoring your health.

The best clinics for the treatment of tonsil cancer

The MedTour platform cooperates with leading medical centers for the treatment of tonsil cancer from different countries. If you want to choose the best medical institution that will best suit your needs and needs, contact us. Our coordinating doctor will provide you with free information about clinics, diagnostic and treatment methods that are used there, advise on prices and answer your other questions regarding clinics and treatment in them.

The best doctors specializing in the treatment of tonsil cancer

A very important element for the successful treatment of any disease is the level and qualifications of the doctor. If we are talking about a tumor, choosing a specialist becomes one of the most important tasks, the successful implementation of which can significantly improve your prognosis.

We will help you choose a doctor who specializes in the treatment of tonsil cancer, has extensive experience and uses the most advanced treatment methods. On the MedTour website you can see a list of doctors who treat tonsil cancer in different countries. More detailed information can be obtained from the MedTour coordinating doctor, who will tell you about specialists in this profile and help you make the best choice.

Published: 11.12.2023

Updated: 09.04.2024

Medical author, Medical editor:

Natalia Segen

Medical author, Medical editor:

Olena Kursabaieva