This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by
Maurie Markman, MD, President, Medicine & Science
This page was updated on September 13, 2022.
Treatment options for throat cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy. The options recommended to each patient vary depending on a number of factors, including the type, stage and progression of the disease. Your multidisciplinary team of throat cancer experts will answer your questions and recommend treatment options based on your unique diagnosis and needs.
This article will cover:
Common treatments for throat cancer include:
Chemotherapy may be used after throat cancer surgery to kill remaining tumor cells. The treatment also may be used as a first-line treatment, either alone or in combination with radiation therapy, for patients whose throat cancer has advanced.
Radiation therapy, a common treatment for throat cancer, may be used as a first-line treatment in early-stage cancers. Radiation therapy also may be used to treat recurrent throat cancer.
Also called chemoradiotherapy, this treatment combines radiation therapy and chemotherapy. It may be used as a first-line treatment for laryngeal cancer and may help patients avoid surgery and preserve the larynx, or voice box.
Chemoradiation may be a treatment option for patients who choose not to have surgery or who are not healthy enough for surgery. It may also be an option to target cancer cells that may have been left behind after surgery.
Surgery is the preferred treatment for early-stage throat cancers. The throat is comprised of the pharynx and the larynx. For advanced stage or recurrent throat cancer, we may combine surgery with other forms of treatment, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy. These treatments may be used to shrink the tumor before surgery. Nearby lymph nodes may also be removed during surgery to test for the presence of cancer.
Learn more about surgery for throat cancer
Laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers typically have an overabundance of the epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR, a protein found on the surface of many cancer cells that helps them grow and divide. Because laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers have more EGFR proteins than other cancers, EGFR inhibitor drugs that target the protein may be used in combination with radiation therapy to treat some early-stage throat cancers. Targeted therapy drugs may also be used on their own or in combination with chemotherapy to treat certain advanced or recurrent throat cancers.
Immunotherapy drugs designed to help the body’s immune system identify and kill tumor cells may be recommended when throat cancer doesn’t respond to first-line treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved specific checkpoint inhibitor drugs to treat metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinomas that do not respond to standard treatments.
Treatment for laryngeal cancer may depend on a variety of factors, including your preferences and goals, your overall health and the stage of the disease.
Chemoradiation may be a first-line treatment option for laryngeal cancers diagnosed in an early stage and to preserve the larynx. Surgery may be required if the cancer is diagnosed at an advanced stage or recurs after treatment.
Other treatment options for laryngeal cancer include:
Treatment for pharyngeal cancers, including tonsil cancer, may depend on where in the throat the cancer is found, the stage of the disease and the overall health of the patient. Treatment options for pharyngeal cancers include:
Surgery may be a first-line treatment for many cases of pharyngeal cancer. The extent of the surgery may depend on whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes and/or has affected the jaw, larynx or other areas of the throat.
At City of Hope, our throat cancer experts collaborate with an integrative care team to anticipate side effects and address issues so you can better tolerate treatments. Integrative care services designed to help manage throat cancer-related side effects include:
Learn more about integrative care
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