The pharynx, often referred to as the throat, is a hollow tube approximately 5 inches long that starts behind the nose and goes down to the neck to become part of the esophagus (tube that goes to the stomach). Air and food pass through the pharynx on the way to the windpipe (trachea) or the esophagus. Cancer of the pharynx (pharyngeal cancer) is often categorized by the anatomical divisions of the pharynx:
· The oropharynx is the middle part of the throat. The oropharynx includes the soft palate (the back of the mouth), the base of the tongue, and the tonsils. Cancer of the oropharynx most commonly starts in the cells founf in the tissues that line the oropharynx.
· The nasopharynx is behind the nose and is the upper part of the throat. The nostrils lead into the nasopharynx. Two openings on the side of the nasopharynx lead into the ear. Cancer of the nasopharynx most commonly starts in the cells that line the oropharynx.
· The hypopharynx is the bottom part of the throat. Most hypopharyngeal cancers form in the cells lining the inside of the hypopharynx. The hypopharynx has 3 different areas. Cancer may be found in 1 or more of these areas.
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This page was last updated August 18th, 2010 at 7:47am.