Nasopharyngeal Cancer

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WHAT IS NASOPHARYNGEAL CANCER?

The cancer of the nasopharynx is known as nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Air is sent from the nostrils to the trachea, or windpipe, via this structure, which is located behind the nasal cavity. When a cell in this structure mutates and starts to multiply quickly, nasopharyngeal cancer develops.

Most of nasopharyngeal malignancies originate from back of the nose. Most oropharynx cancer cases are squamous cell carcinoma because its lining is composed of thin, flat cells called squamous cells.

The specific cause of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is unknown to experts. Nonetheless, several conditions and lifestyle choices can raise your risk of contracting the disease, such as:

Having the EBV, or Epstein-Barr virus. The virus that causes mononucleosis is the same one. EBV is frequently detected in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Regularly consuming foods processed with salt. Nasopharyngeal cancer risk is increased in those whose diets are heavy in salt-cured meat and fish.
Risk may rise if there is heavy dust and smoke exposure.
Possessing family history. You have an increased risk of developing nasopharyngeal cancer if you have a family member who has the disease.
Nasopharyngeal cancer affects nearly three times as many men as women, with a median diagnosis age of fifty.

They may have no symptoms depending on the extent of the disease.

Some of the signs and symptoms include:

A lump in the neck that persists for three weeks
Loss of hearing, usually confined to one ear
Tinnitus, or the perception of noises emanating from within the body as opposed to the environment
A stuffy or blocked nose (typically on one side only)
Nosebleeds
Head pain
Dual vision
Numbness in your face’s lower region
Swallowing issues

Diagnosis

The following tests can be used to diagnose nasopharyngeal cancer and find out if it has spread. Tests also may be used to monitor the disease and how it is responding to treatment.

Biopsy

Your doctor will need to take a biopsy, or small sample of tissue or cells, from the area that appears abnormal to make a diagnosis.

Nasendoscopy

A flexible, thin tube with a light and camera attached to the end is called a nasendoscope. It enables your doctor to examine the inside of your nose, your throat, and the back of your nose.

Imaging Tests

Tumour detection and cancer metastasis detection can be done with MRI, CT, or PET-CT scans.

Treatment

Treatments for nasopharyngeal cancer include the following:

Surgery

The tumour may be surgically removed in certain cases. However, as the nasopharynx is a challenging surgical site, surgery is rarely the primary course of treatment. However, if various therapies have failed to treat the lymph nodes in your neck, surgery may be necessary to remove them.

Radiotherapy

Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) is an advanced radiotherapy technique that uses arcs of radiation, rather than individual beams used in other types of radiotherapy. Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) uses linear accelerators to safely deliver precise radiation to a tumour while minimizing the dose to surrounding normal tissue.

Chemotherapy

Drugs used in chemotherapy eradicate cancer cells, limit their growth, or lessen symptoms associated with the disease. Radiation treatment and chemotherapy are occasionally used in combination to treat nasopharyngeal cancer.

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Prevention

Nasopharyngeal cancer, or nose cancer, has unclear exact causes at this time; nevertheless, reducing risk factors may help minimise the illness’ likelihood.

The following actions could lower your risk of developing nasopharyngeal cancer:

Epstein-Barr Virus Serology Test (Screening Test)
Quit smoking / avoid inhaling second-hand smoke and consuming alcohol.
Avoid consumption of fermented and preserved foods, such as salted fish or meat.
Reduce your exposure to carcinogens at work by following occupational safety and health regulations, which include wearing protective gear when necessary.
Do not use incense sticks.

Treatment options and best-estimated prognosis should be discussed with the patient’s doctor.

Prognosis

The prognosis associated with nasopharyngeal cancer is depending upon your age, overall health, and the stage of the disease at diagnosis.

Radiotherapy frequently cures nasopharyngeal cancer in its extremely early stages. However, as symptoms may not always become apparent right away, it is occasionally detected at a later stage.

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are used in combination to treat more advanced malignancies. If the cancer has not progressed outside of the head and neck area, they are generally treatable.

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