Newer Radiation Treatment Easier For Some Throat Cancer Patients

Treating throat cancer with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) can improve the health-related quality of life of patients compared to conventional radiation therapy (CRT), according to a study in the December 1 issue of the International Journal for Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

Oropharyngeal cancer, sometimes referred to as throat cancer, is a cancer that develops in the part of the throat located just behind the mouth, called the oropharynx. This includes cancer in the tonsil and in the back of the tongue. Squamous cell carcinomas, originating from the cells that normally form the lining of the mouth and throat, account for more than 90 percent of oropharyngeal cancers. In recent years, there is a trend for younger people and nonsmokers to develop this cancer.

MedicalNewsToday