What is the Difference Between Esophageal Cancer and Throat Cancer

Esophageal cancer and throat cancer are two types of cancers that occur in the upper body. Many of their symptoms overlap. However, they are not the same and can be differentiated based on the location they start in.

The key difference between esophageal cancer and throat cancer is their location. esophageal cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the upper and lower areas of the esophagus, while throat cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the larynx, pharynx, behind the throat and nose and behind the mouth.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Esophageal Cancer  
3. What is Throat Cancer
4. Similarities – Esophageal Cancer and Throat Cancer
5. Esophageal Cancer vs Throat Cancer in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Esophageal Cancer vs Throat Cancer
7. FAQ – Esophageal Cancer and Throat Cancer

What is Esophageal Cancer?

Esophagus cancer starts in the esophagus, which facilitates the movement of food from the throat to the stomach. Esophageal cancer is the 10^th most common cancer in the world. There are two types of esophagus cancers: adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. The exact cause of this cancer is not known. But the risk factors are tobacco use, alcohol use, obesity, Barret’s esophagus, chronic acid reflux, human papilloma virus (HPV), history of cancer, other disorders (achalasia), and occupational exposure to certain chemicals. Moreover, the symptoms of esophagus cancer include pain in the throat or back, behind the breastbone, or between shoulders, vomiting or coughing up blood, heartburn, hoarseness, and unintentional weight loss.

Figure 01: Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer can be diagnosed through physical examination, Barium swallow, CT scan, esophagogastroduedenoscopy (EGD), and biopsy. Furthermore, treatment options for esophageal cancer are esophagectomy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), endoscopic laser therapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.

What is Throat Cancer?

Throat cancer is a cancer that grows in the throat or the voice box. There are four types of throat cancer as laryngeal cancer, pharyngeal cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, and nasopharyngeal cancer. The exact cause of the throat cancer is not known. The risk factors for throat cancer are tobacco use, drinking too much, infections like HPV and Epstein Barr virus, not eating enough fruits and vegetables, exposure to toxins like asbestos, nickel or sulfuric acid, gender (men affected more), age (more common in people over 65 years) and race (common in African American). Moreover, the symptoms of throat cancer are voice changes, trouble swallowing, feeling like something caught in the throat, sore throat, headache, pain in the ears or neck, neck lump, unintentional weight loss, jaw stiffness, bleeding in the mouth or throat, loose teeth, bad breath, and ulcers in the mouth or throat.

Figure 02: Throat Cancer

Throat cancer can be diagnosed through medical history, physical examination, blood tests, and imaging tests like MRI or CT scan, PET scan, X-rays, and biopsy. Furthermore, treatment options for throat cancer may include radiation therapy, surgery for small cancers, laryngectomy, pharyngectomy, neck dissection, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, rehabilitation, and palliative or supportive care.

Similarities Between Esophageal Cancer and Throat Cancer

• Esophageal cancer and throat cancer are two types of cancers that begin in the upper body.
• Both these cancers share some similarities like difficulty speaking, trouble swallowing, unintentional weight loss, etc.
• Both these cancers can be diagnosed through physical examination, imaging tests, and biopsy.
• They can be treated through specific therapies.

Difference Between Esophageal Cancer and Throat Cancer

Definition

1. Esophagus cancer begins in the esophagus of the gastrointestinal tract.
2. Throat cancer begins in the throat or the voice box of the upper respiratory tract.

Risk Factors

1. Risk factors for esophageal cancer include tobacco and alcohol use, chronic acid reflux, HPV infection, achalasia, and exposure to certain chemicals.
2. Risk factors for throat cancer include tobacco and alcohol use, HPV or Epstein Barr virus infections, inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption, exposure to chemicals, gender (men are more affected), age (commonly over 65 years), and race (more common in African Americans).

Symptoms

1. Symptoms of esophageal cancer may include persistent cough, hoarseness, appetite loss or weight loss, fatigue, throat or chest pain, and black stools or coughing up blood.
2. Symptoms of throat cancer may include throat pain, shortness of breath, persistent sore throat or cough, coughing up blood, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, sensation of something lodged in the throat, and lumps in the neck or throat.

Treatment

1. Treatment options for esophageal cancer may include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, esophagectomy (surgery), targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.
2. Treatment for throat cancer may involve radiation therapy, laryngectomy or pharyngectomy surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, rehabilitation, and palliative or supportive care.

The following table summarizes the difference between esophageal cancer and throat cancer.

Summary – Esophageal Cancer vs Throat Cancer

Esophageal cancer and throat cancer are two types of cancers more common in people who use tobacco and drink too much. Both these cancers may have similar symptoms, such as difficulty speaking, hoarseness, feeling like something struck in the throat, trouble swallowing, unintentional weight loss, etc. However, esophageal cancer is a malignant cancer in the esophagus, whereas throat cancer throat cancer is a malignant cancer in the throat or voice box. This summarizes the difference between esophageal cancer and throat cancer.

FAQ: Esophageal Cancer and Throat Cancer

1. What are the signs and symptoms of esophageal cancer?

• The signs and symptoms of esophageal cancer may include difficulty swallowing, chest pain, pressure or burning sensation in the affected area, coughing consistently or hoarseness, and unintentional weight loss.

2. How long can someone live with esophageal cancer?

• More than 45 out of every 100 esophageal cancer will survive their cancer for 1 year or more after they are diagnosed. More than 15 out of every 100 will survive from their cancer for 5 years or more.

3. What are the signs and symptoms of throat cancer?

• A change in your voice, hoarseness, pain when swallowing or difficulty swallowing, a lump in the neck, a long-lasting cough or breathlessness, a persistent sore throat, a high-pitched wheezing noise, and difficulty breathing.

4. How to detect throat cancer?

• A throat cancer can be diagnosed through physical examination (examining the mouth, throat, and neck), blood tests, biopsy, endoscopy of the larynx, and imaging tests like ultrasound, X-rays, CT scan, and MRI.

5. Is cancer in the throat curable?

• Throat cancers can be cured when detected at an early stage or when cancer has not spread to surrounding tissues or lymph nodes in the neck. The treatment options for throat cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, laser therapy, and photodynamic therapy.

Reference:

1. “Esophageal Cancer: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic.
2. “Throat Cancer: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment.” WebMD.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Esophagus Cancer 02” By Saltanat – Own work (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Throat.agr” (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia

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