Throat Cancer Can Be Treated If Caught Early

Right now, former Dallas Cowboys player Michael Irvin is being tested for throat cancer, which he wrote about on Instagram Tuesday.

Doctors say that throat cancer is rare and if it's caught early, it can be treated with minimally invasive surgery.

The earlier it's caught, the easier the treatment, said Rajiv Pandit, MD, FACS, Ear, Nose and Throat surgeon.

He said people who have throat cancer might first experience persistent hoarseness, laryngitis or a sore throat lasting weeks.

If doctors find it before it spreads below the collarbone, it can be often be isolated and treated. Throat cancer is not genetic and the most common risk factors are smoking and the human papillomavirus.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection to which, doctors say most people have been exposed.

Dr. Pandit said getting to the doctor early, as in Michael Irvin's case can make all the difference.

"Unfortunately, I see a lot of people that wait two, three, four, even six months to come in for a sore throat, when they should have come in earlier and most the time it's not cancer, as head and neck cancers are rare, but it's increasing because of HPV, so it's always better to be safe than sorry and get checked by an ENT," said Dr. Pandit.

Ssymptoms that have lasted more than a month are a sign that you should see an ENT.