The clinical signs and symptoms of throat cancer vary according to the location of the tumor.

• Sore throat: Pain or discomfort in your throat that doesn’t go away is one of the most common symptoms of throat cancer.
• Voice changes: Throat cancer can affect your voice. You might sound different. You may sound husky or as if you have a cold all the time. You might have slurring of speech or have trouble pronouncing certain sounds.
• Trouble swallowing: Throat cancer can cause pain or a burning sensation while swallowing food. You might feel like food is sticking in your throat.
• Coughing: More commonly after ingesting liquids . This may be due to aspiration of the liquids.
• A lump in your neck: You may have a lump in your neck caused by an enlarged lymph node like other head and neck cancers. The lump slowly gets bigger and harder.
• Weight loss: Weight loss is a common symptom of many different types of cancer. Throat cancer causes weight loss due to difficulty in swallowing.

Other Signs of Throat Cancer

• Trouble opening your mouth
• Trouble moving your tongue
• White patches on your tongue or the lining of your mouth that do not go away
• Coughing up blood
• Nosebleeds
• Headaches