Heart Radio presenter Jamie Theakston has revealed he has stage 1 laryngeal cancer.
The 53-year-old told fans on Instagram that he made an appointment with the doctor after listeners noticed something was off with his voice.
The cancer affects the larynx, also known as the voice box, which is located at the entrance to the windpipe and is vital for speaking and breathing.
According to the NHS, it affects more than 2,000 people in the UK each year and is more common in men over 60 than women.
For many people like Theakston, the first noticeable symptom is a sore throat, but experts warn that an earache is a lesser-known warning sign.
Mailonline reveals the warning signs of laryngeal cancer here.
Heart Radio presenter Jamie Theakston, pictured with stand-in co-host Davina McCall, revealed on Instagram that he had made an appointment with doctors after listeners noticed something wasn’t quite right with his voice
Jamie Theakston announced on Tuesday that he has cancer and said he is taking a break from his job at Heart Radio, while his co-star Amanda Holden gave a health update
For many people like Theakston, the first noticeable symptom is a sore throat, but experts warn that an earache is a lesser-known warning sign
A hoarse voice
If you have a hoarse or raspy voice for more than three weeks, you should have it checked out by a doctor. It could be cancer of the larynx.
According to Cancer Research UK, this is one of the most common symptoms of cancer.
But there are many other things that can cause a hoarse voice, such as having a cold or shouting too much.
Smoking can also make your voice sound hoarse because it irritates the mucous membranes in your throat.
It hurts to swallow
Another common symptom is having difficulty swallowing food.
Some people report feeling like they have something stuck in their throat or that their food is sticking to it.
Others experience a burning sensation when swallowing.
However, Cancer Research UK also warns that a lump or swelling in your neck could also be a sign that you should see a doctor.
Jamie previously presented on Heart FM with Spice Girl singer Emma Bunton
On September 1, he shared this message thanking listeners for noticing something wrong with his voice, which he quickly had checked out
The couple welcomed their first child Sidney in April 2008, before their second son, Kit, was born in September 2009.
Earache
Although laryngeal cancer causes sore throat in most cases, many people also report earache, warns Cancer Research UK.
This is because the nerves in the head and neck are connected.
This can cause the pain to radiate and cause earache.
Shortness of breath
Because the larynx is located at the entrance to the windpipe, cancer can make breathing difficult at that location.
In some cases, people may experience a cough that doesn’t go away or their breathing may become more difficult or noisy.
But either way, shortness of breath is a serious symptom that should not be ignored, Cancer Research warns.
Unexplained weight loss
Weight loss is a common symptom of many types of cancer.
However, in laryngeal cancer, it can be a direct cause of eating too little.
This may be because you experience pain when eating and swallowing.
If you unintentionally lose more than five percent of your normal body weight, or more than 4.5 kg in less than a year, you should see your doctor, experts advise.
However, it can also be caused by cachexia.
According to Cancer Research UK, cachexia, also known as wasting syndrome, is a possible symptom of cancer and causes extreme loss of muscle and fat tissue.
People with early-stage cancer do not usually develop cachexia. But up to four in five people with advanced cancer develop some degree of cachexia, the charity explained.
Cancer is thought to be caused by inflammation.
This is because inflammation can cause muscle breakdown and a tumor can take energy from the rest of the body.
Inflammation has also been linked to muscle loss because it causes proteins to be broken down faster than they are made. That’s because cancer can damage mitochondria, the part of the cell responsible for converting nutrients into energy.