How Doctors Diagnose Nasopharyngeal Cancer

Nasopharyngeal cancer is a disease in which malignant cells grow in the nasopharynx. This is the upper part of the pharynx - also known as the throat - behind the nose.

The pharynx is a tube around five inches long that stretches from the nose to the windpipe and the esophagus. It's the pathway for both air and food.

According to MedicineNet, this form of cancer usually begins in the squamous cells that make up the lining of the part of the throat behind the mouth. Individuals who have been exposed to the Epstein-Barr virus are at an increased risk of developing nasopharyngeal cancer. So are people of Chinese or other Asian ancestry.

Doctors who see undiagnosed cases of this type of cancer will be examining a patient who might have trouble breathing, speaking or hearing. Although other illnesses can cause these symptoms, physicians need to conduct an exam when a patient experiences a lump in the nose or neck, a sore throat or trouble breathing or talking. Other potential symptoms of nasopharyngeal cancer include nosebleeds, pain or ringing in the ear and headaches.

Doctors use a variety of test and procedures to make a diagnosis, including:

1. Physical examination of the throat. He or she will feel for swollen lymph nodes in the neck and examine the throat using a special mirror to search for abnormalities.

2. Nasoscopy. This is a procedure used to look for oddities inside the nose. The nasoscope is a thin instrument equipped with a light and a lens to assist in viewing. Some also have a tool used to remove tissue for a biopsy.

3. Neurological exam. The doctor asks a series of questions and performs a variety of tests to determine how the patient's brain, spinal cord and nerves function. This exam involves determining the individual's mental status as well as physical ability to walk and whether reflexes are normal.

4. X-rays of the head and chest. These films capture images of the skull and organs and bones inside the chest.

5. MRI. Also known as magnetic resonance imaging, this technique utilizes a magnet, radio waves and computer technology to create detailed images of the body.

6. CT/CAT Scan. This procedure photographs internal areas of the body from various angles. Some procedures involve injecting or swallowing a contrast dye for better imaging. The technology is known as computed tomography, computerized tomography or computerized axial tomography.

7. PET scan. This test is short for positron emission tomography scan. After radioactive glucose is injected, the PET scanner rotates around the patient and captures images of where the glucose is being used in the patient. The theory behind the technology is that malignant cells take up more glucose than normal cells and therefore look brighter in images.

8. Lab tests. The doctors might send samples of tissue, blood, urine or other substances to a laboratory for analysis.

9. Biopsy. After a doctor removes a sample of tissue that looks suspicious, a pathologist examines it under a microscope to determine whether or not it's cancerous.

Once medical personnel have determined that a patient indeed has nasopharyngeal cancer, they will stage the disease according to its location and how far it has spread. The chance of recovery and the best treatment options depend on the staging, the type of nasopharyngeal cancer, the tumor's size and the patient's age and overall health.