Treatment of Stage IV Hypopharyngeal Cancer

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Treatment of stages IVA, IVB, and IVC hypopharyngeal cancer that can be treated with surgery may include the following:

• Radiation therapy before or after surgery.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy followed by surgery and/or radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of surgery followed by chemotherapy given at the same time as radiation therapy.

Surgical treatment and follow-up of stage IV hypopharyngeal cancer is complex and is ideally overseen by a team of specialists with experience and expertise in treating this type of cancer. If all or part of the hypopharynx is removed, the patient may need plastic surgery and other special help with breathing, eating, and talking.

Treatment of stages IVA, IVB, and IVC hypopharyngeal cancer that cannot be treated with surgery may include the following:

• Radiation therapy.
• Chemotherapy given at the same time as radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of radiation therapy with chemotherapy.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.