Hypopharyngeal Cancers

How do we treat hypopharyngeal cancers?

All patients will be discussed at the multidisciplinary tumour board where the best recommended treatment options will be detailed. Treatment modality depends on:

1. Age and general health of the patient
2. Extent of the hypopharyngeal lesion infiltration
3. Stage of the cancer
4. Patient’s expectations and preferences

For early stage disease, single modality treatment is considered either with radiotherapy or surgery of the primary hypopharyngeal lesion and the associated nodes in the neck. Conservative surgery may be performed for small tumours, especially if robotics expertise is available. For more advanced stages, multi-modality treatment is needed, either a combination of chemoradiotherapy or surgery with postoperative radiotherapy, with or without chemotherapy.

Even after completion of treatment of cancer, patients often have to undergo months of rehabilitation due to altered speech and swallowing. Hence, intensive speech and swallowing therapy as well as a regular dietician review is to be expected by our patients.