Dear Sir .How long can a Lady of 76 live for with Throat cancer .  Unable to swallow food but can drink liquids and talk .A stent cannot be fitted as too far up in her throat .The doctors say it would choke her if they did .I have also been told that her previous horse voice was cancer in the wind pipe . What would be her life expectancy .Thank you .
Hi, Thanks for writing in. Survival of a cancer in the throat depends on the staging and type of cancer. To prevent choking, a tracheostomy can be done, and she can continue breathing through a hole in the anterior neck. This has to be checked regularly and cleaned to avoid plugging. She might lose her voice after tracheostomy. Intake of food is a concern and stent placement is difficult as discussed with your doctor. If she is on liquids then she can continue taking it using a nasogastric tube. In most conditions this can be taken as a stage 4 cancer and in this stage a patient might survive for up to 2 years if she takes supportive treatment and gets good care. Please do not worry.