Cancer Of The Nasopharynx

The nasopharynx is the gap inside the skull located over the roof of the mouth (palate) and behind the nose, communicating at the frontage with the external air, through the nostrils, and at the rear with the opening of the mouth and throat (or oropharynx).

Cancer of the nasopharynx is rarely observed in the United Kingdom, constituting lesser than 0.25% of all recorded cancer cases. It takes place due to the normal cell lining turning malignant in nature. This form of cancer (carcinoma) is categorised depending on the kind of cell that underwent the cancerous change. Ninety percent of these cancers are of the squamous cell kind. Other kinds are known as adenocarcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma and lymphoma.

Nasopharynx Cancer Causes:

Though this disease is a rarity in the United Kingdom, it is much more prevalent in southern China wherein the individuals there have heritable vulnerability to the ailment. When such individuals move abroad they carry this heightened risk along with them, transmitting it to their kids that would have an increased likelihood of developing the disease as compared to the locally placed non-Chinese populace. The Chinese have a high dietetic consumption of salted fish that is another significant factor.

A third risk factor is having earlier been infected with the Epstein-Barr virus that is the virus causing glandular fever.

Patients having cancer of the nasopharynx have presence of elevated antibody levels in response to the viral presence in their blood, suggesting past infection. But, the precise role of this virus as a causal factor to this disease remains ambiguous.

Nasopharynx Cancer Symptoms:

Regrettably, in spite of the nasopharynx being placed in a small restricted area at the rear of the nasal passages, mostly patients are detected with advanced stages of the disease. The signs are mostly quite vague and are regularly wrongly diagnosed as a minor ailment like cold. The prevalent signs include:

• A blockage felt in the nasal passage.
• Partial deafness (especially in merely one ear).
• A lumpy sensation felt in the neck that is an indicator of the cancer having metastasized to the glands present in the neck region.

Other lesser widespread symptoms comprise of:

• Headaches
• Difficulty in ingestion
• Blurred and dual vision
• Nosebleeds

Among Chinese the peak age bracket observed are in their thirties, while among Caucasians the disease is widely noted in individuals in their fifties. The male gender has a twofold risk of developing the disease as compared to the female gender.

Diagnosis & Tests:

When the individual becomes symptomatic, particularly if they are Chinese, then in such situations, these cases must be treated with utter doubt of having the disease and need to be urgently referred to the ENT or ear-nose-throat expert for further investigation.

The ENT expert would then conduct a detailed analysis of the nasopharnyx. Conventionally, this would be conducted by observing through the mouth with the assistance of a small-sized mirror that is angled in the upward direction facing the nasopharnx. The advancement in technology translates to the more apt diagnostic means of a small-sized pliable or firm telescope that is introduced via the nose to the nasopharnyx at the rear. This could be performed in the doctor’s clinic with the patient seated on a chair.

The appearance at the rear of the nose could at times be disingenuous as mostly the spread of the tumor is beneath the exterior lining of the nasopharnynx and could hence be tricky to spot.

Furthermore, specialised tests would involve a CAT or CT or Computerised tomography scan for accessing the spread of the disease.

The specialist would additionally set up an auditory test in case deafness has been among the signs.

Additionally, the expert would decide to conduct a biopsy procedure (removal of tissue sample) of the nasopharynx to be forwarded for pathological examination for analysis of the sample to corroborate the presence or absence of cancer cells.

Nasopharynx Cancer Treatment:

Radiotherapy or treatment employing x-ray is the best course of treatment for nasopharynx cancer as these tumors are responsive to X-rays. For treating tumors in their advanced stages, the inclusion of cancer-combatant drugs –chemotherapy is conducted before getting started on radiotherapy. Surgical intervention has a restricted role in treating the disease due to the unreachable nature of the nasopharynx.

Prognosis (Outlook)

The chances of recovery or Prognosis are dependent mainly on how far the disease has spread during the time of detection. Those detected with early stage tumors (Stage 1), then there is 70-80% chances of survival of 5 years subsequent to being treated. In the case of more advanced stages of the disease, the 5-year survival rate plummets and in case of the largely advanced tumors (Stage 4), the survival rate is just 0-20% of being alive for 5 years.