Soft palate cancer can be defined as the multiplication and uncontrolled proliferation of malignant cells in the Soft palate within the oral cavity. The Soft palate is chiefly located on the upper portion of the back of your mouth, right behind the teeth. It is a type of Oropharyngeal cancer and usually affects the voice box, vocal cords, tonsils, epiglottis and the oropharynx region. 
soft palate cancer

Also Read: Oral Cancer: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

Causes 

Although the primary cause of Soft palate cancer is yet to be discovered just like any other type of cancer, some studies indicate that Soft palate cancer might happen due to genetic mutations. These mutations or changes in the DNA of the healthy squamous cell of the soft palate cause them to grow and multiply rapidly and keep increasing in size and number. Instead of perishing like the normal ones, these abnormal cells keep piling up to form a tumorous mass of cells in the Soft palate region. 

Also Read: Throat Cancer: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

Risk Factors 

Some causative factors that increase the risk of Soft palate cancer include:

Gender: Men are more at risk of Soft palate cancer than the female populace

Unhealthy Lifestyle Habits: Excessive consumption of tobacco in various forms or drinking too much alcohol aggravates the risk of Soft palate cancer.  

Family History: A family history of oropharyngeal cancer or other types of cancer makes a person more prone to Soft palate cancer

Hereditary Anomalies: Genetic syndromes or diseases aggravates the chances of getting diagnosed with this type of cancer

Infections: Getting diagnosed with HPV (i.e., Human papillomavirus) upgrades the chances of getting Soft palate cancer as well

Weakened Immune System: Suffering from a depreciated immunity due to diseases like HIV or AIDS increases the chance of this type of cancer

Diet: Dietary insufficiency makes an individual more at risk to Soft palate carcinoma

Symptoms

Although it is difficult to detect the initial indications of Soft palate cancer, the most common signs and symptoms include:

  • Bleeding from the mouth
  • Difficulty swallowing any substance
  • Difficulty articulating words
  • Swelling in your neck that may hurt
  • White patches and lesions in the mouth that won't go away 
  • Repulsive breath
  • Mouth pain
  • Sores in your mouth that won't heal naturally
  • Loose teeth that fall out on its own
  • Pain when you try to swallow
  • Weight loss without any cause
  • Ear pain

Diagnosis And Treatment

On noticing any of the indications mentioned above, do consult an oncologist right away to detect the type of Soft palate cancer, so that the necessary treatment can be started right away. The doctor usually conducts a thorough physical checkup of the oral cavities, acknowledges the patient's medical history, followed by a series of diagnostics including:

  • Endoscopy
  • Biopsy of the soft palate cells
  • Imaging tests like CT-scan, MRI-scan, PET-scan, X-ray, and Barium swallow

Staging Soft palate Cancer

To offer specific treatment, the doctor usually stages the Soft palate cancer into the following types:

Stage 1: The tumour develops only on the top layer of cells (epithelial cells) of the affected part of the Soft palate

Stage 2: The size of the sore or lesion varies between 2 - 4 cm and might spread into the nearby tissues

Stage 3: The sore is larger than 4 cm and has metastasized into other structures in the oral cavity or has spread to one lymph node

Stage 4: The tumour has spread to the lymph nodes or to other distant organs in the body

Treatment 

After properly staging the Soft palate cancer, the panel of doctor settles on the best possible way to treat the tumour to give the patient a better life. The treatment options include:

  • Surgery 
  • Radiation therapy
  • Chemotherapy
  • Targeted drug therapy
  • Reconstructive surgery
  • Rehabilitation
  • Palliative care

Prevention

Certain lifestyle changes measures that reduce the risk of Soft palate cancer include: 

    • Quit active and passive smoking and other forms of tobacco
    • Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet
    • Practice regular exercise
    • Go for routine dental checkups
    • Get timely vaccinations for HPV