Ask The Doctor

Dear Ask The Doctor: I've been smoking since I was 15. I'm currently 18. I use marijuana and have smoked filterless cigarettes for a while. I also have undiagnosed sleep apnea I think is due to my tonsils. My roommates complain about my snoring. Yet, there's slight difficulty breathing and sometimes talking (mucus and haven't talked for a while, etc.). There's a pain as well in the middle of my throat where I think the voicebox is. Do you think I'm a candidate for throat cancer?

Dear Patrik: Because of your history of smoking you are at an increased risk of developing several kinds of cancer including cancer of the throat or to be more specific, cancer of the larynx. You are also at increased risk for lung cancer. However your smoking history is not very long. The symptoms you have described may not be as a result of smoking but may be because of enlarged tonsils and as such you should see a doctor who is able to examine you and decide the appropriate treatment for your symptoms. If your symptoms are indeed caused by enlarged tonsils then a simple operation to remove the tonsils may cure your problems.

I strongly encourage you to stop smoking as the harmful effects are numerous and can be quite devastating. Talk to your doctor about programs designed to help you quit smoking.