Hypopharyngeal cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form
in the tissues of the hypopharynx.
The hypopharynx is the bottom part of the pharynx (throat). The pharynx is
a hollow tube about 5 inches long that starts behind the nose, goes down
the neck, and ends at the top of the trachea (windpipe) and esophagus (the
tube that goes from the throat to the stomach). Air and food pass through
the pharynx on the way to the trachea or the esophagus.
Most hypopharyngeal cancers form in squamous cells, the thin, flat cells
lining the inside of the hypopharynx. The hypopharynx has 3 different
areas. Cancer may be found in 1 or more of these areas.
Use of tobacco products and heavy drinking can affect the risk of
developing hypopharyngeal cancer.
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