Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Condition & Symptoms

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is cancer of the nasopharynx, which is located behind the nose, above the back of the throat. This condition is rare in the United States, but much more common in Asia and Africa, and little is known about what causes it. As with any type of cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer can spread quickly, so early diagnosis is vital.

Definition

• Cancer of the nasopharynx, the uppermost part of the throat, usually begins in the squamous cells, which are the flat cells that line the nasopharynx. This part of the throat is where the nasal and ear passages join the upper respiratory tract. This condition can be difficult to treat because surgery to remove cancerous tumors is not recommended because of the proximity of other vital organs.

Symptoms

• Symptoms sometimes associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma include a painless lump (swollen lymph node) in the neck, bloody discharge from the nose, nasal congestion on one side of the nose, hearing loss in one ear, chronic ear infections, severe headaches, double vision and pain in the face and neck.

Causes

• Little is known about what causes nasopharyngeal carcinoma, but research shows that people who have contracted Epstein-Barr virus have a higher risk of developing this type of cancer.

Complications

• As with other types of cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma can spread quite quickly into other organs and areas of the body. In most cases the cancer spreads to the nearby lymph nodes and throat. Sometimes cancer cells travel farther, attacking bones and bone marrow, the lungs or the liver. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma can cause paraneoplastic conditions, problems indirectly caused by cancer cells, that occur in other parts of the body, like neurological problems, joint or muscle problems.

Diagnosis

• If a doctor suspects nasopharyngeal carcinoma, he will refer his patient to an ear, nose and throat specialist, known as an otolaryngologist, who knows how to spot abnormalities in this region. Upon a confirmed diagnosis the doctor often orders several other tests to determine the stage of the cancer. These tests include computerized tomography, lymph node biopsy and chest x-rays, as well as MRI, PET and CT scans.

Treatment

• Treatment for this condition is much like treatment for other cancers and it typically involves a combination of radiation and chemotherapy. Radiation destroys cancer cells. During treatment a machine transmits beams to the area of the body where the cancer was found. Patients generally undergo radiation five days a week for about six or seven weeks. Chemotherapy works by introducing special cancer-killing medications into the body, to attack cancer cells anywhere they are found in the body. According to the National Cancer Institute, small cancers are considered curable with survival rates between 80 and 90 percent, and moderately sized cancers have survival rates ranging between 50 and 70 percent.