Where is the best place to treat nasopharyngeal carcinoma?

Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
Updated on September 11, 2024
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Nasopharyngeal carcinoma currently mainly considers radiation therapy and chemotherapy, with radiation therapy as the primary treatment. It requires staging and typing based on different ranges of lesions and pathological biopsy types. After determining the stage and type, further radiation and chemotherapy plans can be established. At present, radiation therapy is the most important. Most patients need concurrent chemotherapy or adjuvant chemotherapy and require regular follow-ups. For some patients with cervical lymph node metastasis or recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiation therapy, who cannot undergo radiation or chemotherapy again or for whom radiation and chemotherapy have failed, surgery may be considered. However, surgery is generally not the first choice and its effectiveness is not particularly certain.

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Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
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What causes nasopharyngeal carcinoma?

The specific cause of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a type of malignant tumor, is currently unclear, but it is considered to be related to some high-risk factors that may lead to the occurrence of nasopharyngeal cancer. Firstly, there are cases of EB virus infections in the nasopharyngeal area. The long-term stimulation of the nasopharyngeal mucosa by this virus leads to hyperplasia of the mucosa, which can become malignant and eventually form nasopharyngeal cancer. Additionally, some clinical studies suggest that the occurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is related to genetic factors, indicating a genetic predisposition to nasopharyngeal carcinoma, which leads to its development. Furthermore, some considerations involve external carcinogenic factors affecting the nasopharyngeal area, such as long-term smoking or environmental air pollution, which can also lead to a high incidence of nasopharyngeal cancer.

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Can patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma eat zongzi?

Patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma can eat rice dumplings, which are a common food mainly made from glutinous rice. Eating rice dumplings does not have side effects on the condition of nasopharyngeal carcinoma nor does it affect the treatment outcomes, so patients can eat them normally. Patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma should seek medical attention in the oncology department as soon as they are diagnosed, and consider undergoing radiation therapy, with some needing to combine it with chemotherapy. After treatment, regular long-term check-ups are necessary, as some patients may experience local recurrence or distant metastasis, which requires timely subsequent targeted therapy.

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Written by Li Rui
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Does nasopharyngeal carcinoma require surgery?

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma generally does not consider surgery. For most patients with nasal cancer, radiotherapy is the first choice, and depending on the different stages, it may be necessary to consider concurrent or adjuvant chemotherapy. The overall treatment plan primarily focuses on curative radiotherapy, and it also requires regular follow-ups to monitor recovery. If radiotherapy and chemotherapy fail or there is a recurrence, surgery may need to be considered in these cases, but the surgery is relatively difficult, and a detailed analysis of the patient's specific situation is required. Only a very small number of patients would be indicated for surgery.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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How is nasopharyngeal carcinoma diagnosed?

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a malignant, occupying lesion that occurs in the nasopharyngeal area, and clinically it is mainly squamous cell carcinoma. Relatively speaking, although this tumor is malignant, its degree of malignancy is relatively low, especially when compared to liver cancer, lung cancer, and other malignant tumors. The definitive diagnosis of any tumor primarily relies on histopathological diagnosis, which means that pathological examination is the gold standard. In the case of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, we can make a pathological examination by using nasopharyngeal biopsy tissue with forceps under nasendoscopy. If cancer cells are found, then it is essentially confirmed. Of course, other examination methods, such as CT and MRI, are also helpful in diagnosing nasopharyngeal carcinoma and determining whether there are any metastases.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
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Nasopharyngeal carcinoma clinical manifestations

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is the most common malignant tumor in the nasopharyngeal area, and clinically, it is primarily squamous cell carcinoma. The incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is particularly high in the southern regions of China, especially in Guangdong. Initially, nasopharyngeal carcinoma manifests locally as a tumorous mass in the nasopharyngeal area, often with ulceration on the surface. This can lead to the presence of blood in nasal mucus, known as bloody nasal discharge. As the disease progresses, there can be swelling of the cervical lymph nodes, primarily involving the upper deep cervical lymph nodes, with about 60% of patients experiencing this type of lymph node enlargement. As the tumor enlarges, it may block the nasal passage, leading to persistent nasal congestion. The tumor's pressure on the Eustachian tube can cause symptoms of secretory otitis media. Furthermore, damage to the skull base by the tumor can lead to severe headaches. As a malignant tumor, the cancer can cause systemic symptoms such as malnutrition and cachexia. In advanced stages, metastatic symptoms may appear, such as bone and liver metastases, affecting these vital organs.