Tonsil cancer can occur in any of the three types of tonsils – palatine tonsils, lingual tonsils, and pharyngeal tonsils. The most common of all is palatine tonsil cancer. It is important that we learn the symptoms and early signs of cancer, and tonsil cancer is no exception. Understanding the symptoms at an early stage ensures that effective treatment can be sought for, which offer promising results.

Most of the tumors originating in tonsil are squamous cell carcinomas, arising in the lining tissues of the mouth. Smoking and drinking alcohol can be risk factors for such cancer to develop. There is a wide range of symptoms presented by this cancer.

Early Signs and Symptoms:

Sore Throat:

This is one of the most common symptoms of tonsil cancer. Soreness in throat is persistent and does not heal easily with medicines. Even after healing, it frequently recurs. Severe sore my cause discomfort while drinking liquid.

Enlarged Lymph Nodes:

As in any cancer types, noticeable cell growth is observed in the throat region. This can cause discomfort in ear too. Although the cell growth can be non-malignant, but if it is malignant, it does not go off with several antibiotic medicines. Usually, the swollen lymph node appears on the right side of the neck.

Difficulty in Swallowing Food:

This can be an early sign of the malignant development in tonsil. A person suffering from cancerous growth in tonsil area may face severe difficulty in swallowing food. Enlargement in tonsils can result in discomfort while swallowing saliva or liquid.

Enlarged Tonsils:

Tonsils may enlarge due to tonsil stones, which is common in young children. Tonsil stones are caused due to eating excessive ice creams, food items sour in taste or due to infection. However, with a recommended dose of antibiotics the stones should disappear. If it does not clear off after a few days, it needs a careful examination, as it may need a surgery or could be a tumorous growth.

Dryness and Irritation:

Cancer of the tonsils may present dryness of the throat that can be accompanied by irritation. Irritation, dryness and redness of the throat may cause difficulty in swallowing.

Fatigue:

Fatigue for a couple of weeks and a low grade temperature can show up as an early sign of cancer of the tonsil. Fatigue that does not go off even after proper rest and food intake is usually associated with some serious ailment. So do not neglect these symptoms and seek medical assistance as soon as possible.

Ear Pain:

Acute ear pain in one or both ears is observed by most of the cancer patients. Swollen tonsils and enlarged lymph nodes cause persistent ear pain that does not go with a course of antibiotics.

Bad Breath:

This is an alarming symptom of tonsil cancer and thus, should be addressed with proper medical
attention. Enlargement of lymph nodes and sore throat causes infections to develop in the mouth. These infections can be persistent too and result in foul breath. If bad breath does not even go off after brushing after meals or frequently rinsing mouth, seek medical help to diagnose the root cause.

Difficulty Breathing:

Difficulty in breathing and other respiratory problems are the most severe symptoms of cancer of the tonsils. These symptoms demand immediate medical care.
Tonsil cancer is some of the uncommon cancer types. Like all other cancer types, it is best treated if detected at an early stage. For this, be vigilant to the above given symptoms and the early signs of cancer.

– I’m Caren Lee and I’m studying on various cancers. I write about cancers causes, symptoms, and treatments that help people in getting adequate knowledge about the disease. I consider the reader comments even more important than my own posts! For more information, go to: cancer8.com