Uncle Sam would be shocked when he finds out that 3% of the American population who has cancer has stage 4 throat cancers. According to statistics, about 89% of cases are men and are most likely to die from such an affliction than women. Worst still, people who are diagnosed are already on the advanced stages. But with a simple change, this type of cancer can be avoided.

Oropharnygeal cancer is the sudden fast growth of the cells in your larynx. It is divided into four stages and it gets worse as the patient goes up a step. As mentioned before, the most common culprit is tobacco use but alcohol abuse also contributes in increasing the risk of developing the disease. Other causes would include cultural practices like the chewing of tobacco, familial disposition, and exposure to certain sexually transmissible infections, work-related hazards and even gastric reflux.

Stage 4 throat cancer survival rate primarily depends on the general condition of the patient, the aggressiveness of the treatment and to a certain degree the will power of the patient. However, it is good to note that the survival rate is relatively high. Early stages of the disease account about 90% while those on advanced stages would get about 30% chance of survival which is generally high compared to other advanced stage of other cancers. But the survival rate may change because there are also factors to be considered such as the general health of the patient, the assertiveness of the medical team in giving their treatment and most of all how ell the patient is coping with the disease.

However, a stage 4 throat cancer prognosis is affected by how good it was staged. This would require diagnostic examinations like biopsies to advanced imaging procedures like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Proper staging is important because this will greatly help the medical team in properly treating the patient. Unfortunately, there were cases wherein the tumor came back despite the aggressive therapies and lowers the survival rate to less than five years. This time line is also the gauge in determining total remission.

As mentioned earlier, this type of cancer is very preventable. The primary thing to do is a big lifestyle change. Quitting the habit of smoking, limiting the intake of alcohol, proper nutrition and proper exercise can greatly help in lowering the risk of throat cancer. Equally as important, having a regular check-up with your doctor would also be good for early detection especially since patients cannot feel the symptoms of the disease in its early stages.

It is a very scary experience when one is diagnosed with any kind of cancer. However, one must always remember that surviving such an affliction depends not only in the treatment and the doctors but also the will to survive and having the proper support can help you get through it.