How is Stage 0 throat cancer treated?
In stage 0 throat cancer, the disease is limited to the presence of precancerous or premalignant lesions only and can be treated well with early intervention.
Stage 0 tumours are limited to the top layer of the cellular lining of the hypopharynx or the oropharynx, which means that the cancer is restricted to the ‘surface layer’ of the throat.
The usual treatment for stage 0 throat cancer is radiation therapy. In such cases, radiation is administered at a dose of 66 to 70 Gy (In cycles of 2 Gy per fraction to a primary tumour).
Surgery is usually performed as conservative surgery, in order to remove the top layers of the affected tissue along with a small additional margin (edge) of healthy tissue.
If the early form of cancer (carcinoma in situ) returns after the surgery, patients may need to be treated with radiation therapy (adjuvant or postoperative radiotherapy) to remove traces of cancer. In such cases, radiation is administered at a dose of 66-70 Gy (in cycles of 2 Gy per fraction to a primary tumour).
