Understanding Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a form of cancer that can develop in the area behind the nose and just above the back section of the throat. While this type of cancer is relatively rare in the United States, it is much more common in parts of Asia as well as the northern section of Africa. Because of the location of the carcinoma, it is often difficult to detect the presence of the cancer during the earliest stages. Nasopharyngeal is considered to be a form of oral cancer or head and neck cancer that has the potential to be just as lung cancer or various types of skin cancer.

The exact origins of nasopharyngeal carcinoma are a subject of debate. One commonly accepted theory is that the presence of Epstein-Barr Virus can weaken the immune system and increase the chances for some sort of abnormal cell growth to occur in the nasopharnyx. However, not everyone with EBV will develop this form of cancer, and in fact people who did not have Epstein-Barr in even a dormant form have been know to develop nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

While this disease does not tend to exhibit any symptoms during the early stages, there are several signs that will begin to manifest as the carcinoma matures. One common sign is the presence of a lump in the neck that seems to grow over time. A great deal of nasal congestion will develop in the nostril closest to the location of the malignancy. There may be some discharge of blood from the nose as well.

As the condition continues to develop, the individual is also likely to begin experiencing problems with the ears. The quality of hearing in the ear closest to the growth will decrease noticeably. There is a good chance that more ear infections will take place throughout the year and for no apparent reason.

Accompanying the infections will be headaches that seem to be more intense than usual. The vision may begin to blur from time to time, or the individual may also experience periods where he or she sees double. Discomfort around the face as well as the neck will be more frequent, with the periods of pain becoming longer as time goes on.

Treating nasopharyngeal carcinoma often involves employing the same types of treatments common for many type of cancer. Often, radiation therapy will be administered as a first line of defense. If the radiation does not produce the desired results, chemotherapy is likely to be introduced into the treatment process. Depending on the severity of the situation, a physician may choose to go with chemotherapy first, then follow up with a radiation series to subdue the cancer.

When radiation and chemotherapy do not prove successful, the remaining option is surgery. However, this approach is only used when all other methods have been exhausted.