What are common symptoms of throat cancer?

Common symptoms of throat cancer include coughing, difficulty swallowing, expelling blood while coughing, and abnormally high-pitched breathing sounds, according to MedlinePlus. Other symptoms include prolonged hoarseness, pain in the neck or ear, prolonged sore throat despite use of antibiotics, unexplained weight loss, and lumps or swelling in the neck.

A biopsy of the suspected tumor confirms or rules out cancer, notes MedlinePlus. Other tools for diagnosing throat cancer include CT scans of the chest, head and neck, X-ray studies of the chest, PET scans, and MRI of the neck or head. Prognosis of throat cancer depends on how far the cancer has progressed.