Risk Factors of Hypopharyngeal Cancer
Risk factors for hypopharyngeal cancer are divided into two groups - factors that you can control and factors that you cannot change.
Some factors you cannot change are:
Gender. Men are more likely to develop this type of cancer than women.
Race. This type of cancer is more common among Caucasian and African American people than among Asian and Hispanic people.
Having Plummer-Vinson syndrome. A rare condition that involves a deficiency in iron and causes difficulty swallowing.
Some factors that are in your control to change are:
Using alcohol and tobacco heavily. This includes any type of tobacco, like cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, and snuff.
Occupational inhalants. Exposure to wood dust, paint fumes, asbestos, and certain chemicals.
Eating a diet without enough nutrients. You will want to eat the right amount of vitamins A and E. Make sure to eat nuts, seeds, fruit, and vegetables, especially leafy greens.
Having a risk factor of hypopharyngeal cancer does not mean that you will get it; not having risk factors doesn't mean you will not get it. Speak with your doctor if you think you may be at risk of developing hypopharyngeal cancer.
Hypopharyngeal Cancer Care Available in Brevard County
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with hypopharyngeal cancer or another type of head and neck cancer, the oncologists at Cancer Care Centers of Brevard are ready to help. We have cancer centers located throughout Brevard County, including Melbourne, Rockledge, Merritt Island, and Palm Bay, FL.