Rakesh Roshan diagnosed with early stage squamous cell throat carcinoma

January 9, 2019
New Delhi, January 09, 2019:

Yet another noted film personality has been diagnosed with cancer. After Irrfan Khan, Sonali Bendre, Nafisa Ali, now actor and filmmaker Rakesh Roshan has been diagnosed with early stage squamous cell carcinoma of throat and he will have undergone surgery for the same yesterday, as reported in TOI. The diagnosis was shared by his son, Hrithik Roshan, on social media.

What is squamous cell throat carcinoma? Let’s take a quick recap here:

  • Most throat cancers are squamous cell carcinomas (90-95%).
  • They can be categorized as well differentiated (>75% keratinization), moderately differentiated (25-75% keratinization) and poorly differentiated (< 25% keratinization) tumors.
  • Verrucous carcinoma (a variant of squamous cell carcinoma), adenocarcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma and mucoepidermoid carcinomas are other less common histologies.
  • Tobacco (smoked and smokeless) is the most important known risk factor for the development of the cancer.
  • Tobacco and alcohol consumption have a synergistic effect. The repeated exposure of the mucosa of the upper aerodigestive tract to tobacco, alcohol, or both appears to cause multiple primary and secondary tumors in this “condemned mucosa,” a phenomenon described as “field cancerization.”
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, a sexually transmitted virus, is also a causative agent. HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer typically presents in younger patients without a history of excessive exposure to alcohol and tobacco. It has a better prognosis and response to therapy than HPV-negative disease.
  • Other risk factors include betel nut chewing, radiation exposure, vitamin deficiencies, periodontal disease, immunosuppression and other environmental and occupational exposures.
  • Squamous cell carcinoma often develops from premalignant lesions due to carcinogen exposure. Clinical signs are leukoplakia and erythroplakia. Histopathologically, dysplasia is associated with progression to invasive cancer in 15-30% of cases.
  • Leukoplakia is characterized by hyperparakeratosis and is usually associated with underlying epithelial hyperplasia. The chances of malignant transformation is <5%, if there are no underlying dysplastic changes.
  •  Erythroplakia is characterized by red superficial patches adjacent to normal mucosa. It is commonly associated with epithelial dysplasia and is associated with carcinoma in situ or invasive tumor in up to 40% of cases
  •  HPV tumor status should be determined for all cases of newly diagnosed oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma but not for the routine evaluation of nonsquamous carcinoma of the oropharynx or nonoropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. It may be useful in select cases of oropharyngeal cancer with uncertain histology.
  • Symptoms include hoarseness of voice, difficulty swallowing or feeling that something is caught in the throat, persistent sore throat, cough, unexplained weight loss, ear pain.
  • Diagnostic methods are biopsy of the lesion, imaging tests (CT, MRI, PET), barium swallow
  • Treatment: Surgery (minimally invasive or endoscopic, transoral laser microsurgery), chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy
  • Prevention: Harm Reduction and Harm Prevention: No to tobacco and alcohol or switch to non tobacco nicotine based products and limit alcohol intake

 

Dr KK Aggarwal

(Sources: Uptodate, MD Anderson Cancer Center)

Stay informed with the latest news from HealthySoch. Sign up today for exclusive insights and updates!

We promise we never spam!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Health Tips

Dr. T S Kler Padma Bhushan Awardee
MD, DM, MRCP, FRCP(U.K), FACC, D.Sc
Chairman – Fortis Heart Institute Gurugram

Precautions to avoid Corona Virus:

  1. Stay home as far as possible.
  2. Wash hands with soap and water frequently.
  3. Keep distance from people even your home members.
  4. Keep atleast 1-2 metres away from anybody coughing.
  5. Don’t touch your face, nose and mouth.

 

Dr. K.K Says

Archives

MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
    123
45678910
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
26272829   
       
891011121314
293031    
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
25262728293031
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
3031     
     12
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
2627282930  
       
1234567
891011121314
22232425262728
293031    
       
     12
3456789
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
       
  12345
13141516171819
2728     
       
      1
9101112131415
3031     
   1234
567891011
       
282930    
       
    123
45678910
       
  12345
27282930   
       
      1
3031     
    123
11121314151617
       
28      
       
2930     
       
    123
       
       
       
      1
9101112131415
3031     
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
242526272829 
       
  12345
13141516171819
2728293031  
       
      1
23242526272829
3031     
    123
       
    123
25262728   
       
78910111213
28293031   
       
293031    
       
14151617181920
28293031   
       
   1234
567891011
       
   1234
567891011
262728    
       
891011121314
293031    
       
    123
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
  12345
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
16171819202122
3031     
    123
45678910
18192021222324
       
28293031   
       
     12
31      
   1234
       
  12345
6789101112
       
HealthySoch

Don't Miss

WORLD STROKE DAY: 29th, October

India healthysoch New Delhi, October 27, 2022: Stroke is a

Dr T S Kler joins as Chairman of Fortis Heart and Vascular Institute, Gurugram

Honored with Padma Bhushan, Dr Kler is a pioneer in