Treatment of Stage III Hypopharyngeal Cancer

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

Treatment of stage III hypopharyngeal cancer may include:

• Radiation therapy before or after surgery.
• Chemotherapy given during or after radiation therapy 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.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy given at the same time as radiation therapy.

Treatment and follow-up of stage III 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.

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.