Treatment is most successful during the early stages of the disease.
Although the cause of pharyngeal cancer is unknown, it is most common among heavy smokers and people who drink large amounts of alcohol. It is seven times more common in men than women and generally occurs after age 50. Untreated cancer often spreads throughout the throat area to the lymph nodes and into the bloodstream, where the cancer is carried to other parts of the body. As long as you receive no treatment, the cancer will continue to spread and become life-threatening. There may be no symptoms to warn of possible cancer.