Understanding Hypopharyngeal Cancer
Hypopharyngeal cancer is considered a type of head and neck cancer. It is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the hypopharynx — the bottom part of the pharynx (throat).
The pharynx is a hollow tube that is about 5 inches long and goes from behind the nose, down the neck, to the windpipe, and the esophagus, the tube that goes from the throat to the stomach. Air and food pass through the pharynx to the trachea or the esophagus.
Most hypopharyngeal cancers form in the thin, flat cells lining the inside of the hypopharynx, known as squamous cells. The hypopharynx has three different areas: the posterior pharyngeal wall, the piriform sinuses, and the postcricoid region. Cancer may be found in one or more of these areas. While the vocal cord is directly attached to the hypopharynx, cancer in this area is different and called glottic cancer or laryngeal cancer.
Head and Neck Cancer Treatment Available in Brevard County
If you have been diagnosed with hypopharyngeal cancer or another type of head and neck cancer, the experts at Cancer Care Centers of Brevard are ready to help. We have cancer centers available throughout Brevard County, including Melbourne, Rockledge, Merrit Island, and Palm Bay, FL.