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throat cancer

(throte KAN-ser)
Cancer that forms in tissues of the pharynx or larynx. Most throat cancers are squamous cell carcinomas (cancers that begin in thin, flat cells that look like fish scales under a microscope).
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Anatomy of the throat; drawing shows the pharynx, which includes the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and hypopharynx. Also shown are the adenoids, tonsils, larynx, esophagus, and trachea.Enlarge this image in new window
Anatomy of the throat. The throat is a hollow, muscular tube inside the neck that acts as a passageway for air to enter the lungs and for food and liquid to enter the esophagus. It contains many structures, including the adenoids, tonsils, pharynx (the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and hypopharynx), larynx, esophagus, and trachea.
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