I have been smoking for around 20 years off and on 1/2 a pack a day and I am also a drinker. The past 4 monthsor so I have had a weird feeling in my ear like I thought I had a tick in my ear and then my gland on my right side of my neck has been swollen, once in a while my ear feels like a pinching pain when I yawn and my right eye feels sore at times, my throat really doesnt hurt much but my ear is irritated and my gland is swollen quite often. I am going to go see a Dr. this coming week but I cant stop worrying about the fact that I might have throat cancer. Is cancer of the throat treatable if found soon enough and what do my symptoms sound like to you?
HI, thanks for using Chat Doctor Your concern is understandable. Cancer of the throat is associated with difficulty swallowing, change in voice, sore throat, unexplained weight loss, bleeding through the mouth or nose, chronic cough and swelling of the eyes, jaw, throat or neck. If the swollen gland that you are referring to is a lymph node then there are different possible causes for an increased size. Lymph node enlargement can occur due to any infectious or inflammatory process. It can also enlarge in more serious conditions such as cancer. It is possible that your symptoms are related to an infection of the throat or ear but when you visit the ENT you would be able to get more information. In terms of prognosis of throat cancer, it depends on the stage of the disease. If it is caught at an early stage then the survival chances are higher. It would be best to stop smoking as it is associated with a wide range of possible complications. I hope this helps