Oropharyngeal cancer
What is oropharyngeal cancer?
Oropharyngeal cancer starts in cells of the oropharynx. Learn about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and risks in our guide to oropharyngeal cancer.
Risk factors for oropharyngeal cancer
The most important risk factor for developing oropharyngeal cancer is smoking. Learn about cancer risk in the oropharynx.
Symptoms of oropharyngeal cancer
Symptoms of oropharyngeal cancer vary depending on the location of the tumour. Learn about the symptoms of oropharyngeal cancer.
Diagnosis of oropharyngeal cancer
Tests to diagnose oropharyngeal cancer, such as panendoscopy or biopsy, are done when symptoms are present. Learn about diagnosing oropharyngeal cancer.
Grading pharyngeal cancer
Grading describes how the cancer cells look compared to normal, healthy cells. Knowing the grade gives your healthcare team an idea of how quickly the cancer may be growing and how likely it is to spread. Learn about grading oropharyngeal cancer.
Stages of oropharyngeal cancer
Staging describes the extent of oropharyngeal cancer in the body. Learn about the stages of oropharyngeal cancer by the TNM (tumour size, lymph node, metastasis) system.
If oropharyngeal cancer spreads
Cancer can spread from the oropharynx to other parts of the body. This is called metastasis. Learn about common sites where oropharyngeal cancer can spread.
Prognosis and survival for oropharyngeal cancer
Learn about prognosis for oropharyngeal cancer. Important prognostic factors include stage and lymph node status. Tumour spread and positive surgical margins are also factors.
Treatments for oropharyngeal cancer
Treatments for oropharyngeal cancer include surgery, chemoradiation, immunotherapy and targeted therapy.
Supportive care for pharyngeal cancer
Supportive care helps people meet the physical, practical, emotional and spiritual challenges of pharyngeal cancer. It is an important part of cancer care. There are many programs and services available to help meet the needs and improve the quality of life of people living with cancer and their loved ones, especially after treatment has ended.
Head and neck cancer statistics
Cancer statistics tell us how many people in Canada are diagnosed with and die from oropharyngeal cancer in a certain time frame.