| Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a rare tumor arising | | | | Symptoms and signs at presentation include |
| from the epithelium of the nasopharynx. The | | | | painless, enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, nasal |
| nasopharynx is the upper portion of the pharynx | | | | obstruction, epistaxis, diminished hearing, tinnitus, |
| — a 5-inch tube that extends from behind the | | | | recurrent otitis media, cranial nerve dysfunction, |
| nose to the top of the windpipe and esophagus in | | | | sore throat, and headache. Unlike other cancers of |
| your neck. It is a poorly differentiated carcinoma | | | | the head and neck region where surgery is |
| that may appear at any site in the upper | | | | preferred, early stage NPC is mainly treated with |
| respiratory tract, but most commonly, in the | | | | radiotherapy. |
| lateral wall of the nasopharynx around the ostium | | | | Causes of Nasopharyngeal carcinoma |
| of the Eustachian tube - the fossa of Rosenmuller. | | | | The common causes and risk factor's of |
| Nasopharyngeal carcinoma may occur at any age | | | | Nasopharyngeal carcinoma include the following: |
| and as presented above, occurs much more | | | | Epstein-Barr virus. |
| frequently in the Chinese population. The incidence | | | | Preserved meats. |
| of second primary malignancy in patients with | | | | Chinese or Asian ancestry. |
| NPC appears to be less than that of other head | | | | Contact with moisture from the mouth and throat |
| and neck cancers, which are usually related to | | | | of a person who is infected with the virus. |
| smoking. The nasopharynx has a cuboidal shape. | | | | Smoking. |
| The lateral walls are formed by the eustachian | | | | High alcohol consumption. |
| tube and the fossa of Rosenmuller. Men are more | | | | Salt-cured foods. |
| likely than women to develop nasopharyngeal | | | | Having a family member with nasopharyngeal |
| carcinoma. It's most commonly diagnosed in | | | | carcinoma. |
| people from age 30 to age 60, though | | | | Symptoms of Nasopharyngeal carcinoma |
| nasopharyngeal carcinoma can also occur in older | | | | Some sign and symptoms related to |
| adults and in children. In Taiwan, nasopharyngeal | | | | Nasopharyngeal carcinoma are as follows: |
| carcinoma accounts for about 5% of all cancers | | | | Neck swelling. |
| and 56% of all head and neck cancers. | | | | Hearing loss in one ear. |
| In the pediatric population, most nasopharyngeal | | | | Headaches. |
| malignancies are rhabdomyosarcomas or | | | | Nasal symptoms, including bleeding, obstruction, |
| lymphomas. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma rarely | | | | and discharge. |
| comes to medical attention before it has spread | | | | A sore throat. |
| to regional lymph nodes. It may be associated | | | | Deafness and tinnitus. |
| with the Epstein-Barr virus, with exposure to | | | | Double vision. |
| smoke or to chemical pollutants, and in California | | | | A lump in the neck caused by a swollen lymph |
| and Malaysia, to the ingestion of salted fish. | | | | node. |
| Nasopharyngeal carcinoma causes signs and | | | | Treatment of Nasopharyngeal carcinoma |
| symptoms that may suggest a variety of | | | | Here is list of the methods for treating |
| diseases and conditions. That fact, combined with | | | | Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: |
| the hidden location of the nasopharynx, means | | | | Radiotherapy is the primary treatment modality |
| most people aren't diagnosed with nasopharyngeal | | | | for carcinoma of the nasopharynx. |
| carcinoma until the cancer has spread. All NPCs | | | | Chemotherapy may be used to treat |
| are associated with EBV-latent gene products, | | | | nasopharyngeal carcinoma. |
| unlike other head and neck carcinomas. About | | | | Surgery is usually reserved for recurrent |
| 80% of NPCs overexpress the BCL2 product. | | | | nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Surgery to remove |
| These findings are consistent and may contribute | | | | cancerous lymph nodes in the neck is the most |
| to the development of NPC by inhibiting apoptosis. | | | | common surgery for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. |