Throat Cancer Symptoms

Throat cancer symptoms vary from person to person and often depend on where the cancer first develops.

Almost all throat cancers are oropharyngeal cancer. The symptoms of oropharyngeal cancer include:

• A painless lump in the neck about two inches below the jaw line. It can often be seen and felt from the outside. This lump is a lymph node that is swollen with cancer cells. In many cases, the lymph node grows larger than the primary tumor. Doctors often misdiagnose this lump as a symptom of a common infection and prescribe antibiotics. The lump does not respond to these drugs, leading doctors to look for other causes, including oropharyngeal cancer.
  
• A persistent sore throat 
  
• A dull earache on one side 
  
• One tonsil that is larger and/or shaped differently than the other 
  
• A red or white patch on the tonsil or palate 
  
• Spitting up blood 
  
• Persistent coughing
  
• Hoarseness or other voice changes 
  
• Difficulty moving the tongue or opening the mouth
  
• Difficult and/or painful swallowing.

Other types of throat cancer can have slightly different symptoms. Learn more about:

• Hypopharyngeal cancer symptoms
• Laryngeal cancer symptoms
• Nasopharyngeal cancer symptoms

These symptoms do not always mean you have throat cancer. However, it is important to discuss them with your doctor since they may signal other health problems.

Learn more about throat cancer:

• Throat cancer overview
• Throat cancer diagnosis
• Throat cancer treatment