Causes, symptoms and diagnosis of nasopharyngeal

cancer

Nasopharyngeal cancer is a type of cancer wherein malignant cells or cancer cells are formed in the

tissues of the nasopharynx. If diagnosed in the early stages using effective NP cancer testing

methods, the disease can be cured or kept under control.

Well, nasopharyngeal cancer is the cancer of the nasopharynx, the upper part of the throat that is

behind the nose. The pharynx (throat) is a hollow tube that is about 5 inches long. It starts from

behind the nose and extends to the upper part of the windpipe or the trachea and the food pipe or

the oesophagus. The pharynx passes the air and food on the way to the oesophagus or the trachea.

The nostrils or the openings of the nose lead into the nasopharynx. There is an opening on either

side of the nasopharynx that leads into the ear. The oropharynx is the part of the throat present

behind the mouth. NP cancer generally has its beginning in the squamous cells lining the oropharynx.

Probable causes of nasopharyngeal cancer

Exposure to the virus Epstein-Barr and ethnic background can contribute to the development of NP

cancer. The major risk factors include Asian/Chinese ancestry and exposure to Epstein-Barr virus –

The virus has been linked with several cancers including lymphomas and NP cancer.

Signs and symptoms of nasopharyngeal cancer

Trouble breathing, hearing or speaking are the possible signs of this type of cancer. Nearly 3 out of 4

people affected with this cancer complain of a mass or lump in the neck during their first clinical visit.

Sometimes, there may be lumps on either sides of the neck, that is, towards the back. The tricky part

is that these lumps are not painful or tender. These lumps are normally caused when the cancer

spreads to the lymph nodes (glands containing a lot of immune system cells found throughout the

body; they are generally smaller in size, smaller than a pea) in the neck, making them become larger

than usual.

Besides lumps, other possible symptoms can be caused by NP Cancer. The problem is that other

medical conditions may also cause similar symptoms. Therefore, a physician must be consulted if any

of the following symptoms occur:

A sore throat

A lump in the neck or nose

Trouble breathing, hearing or speaking

Nosebleeds

Ringing or pain in the ear

Headaches

Diagnosis of NP Cancer

NP Cancer is usually diagnosed using the following the methods:

Medical history and physical exam that includes exams of the nasopharynx through direct

and indirect nasopharyngoscopy

Neurological exam

Biopsy including endoscopic biopsy or fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy

Imaging tests that includes Head and chest X-rays, Computed tomography (CT) scan,

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and Positron emission tomography (PET) scan

Laboratory tests such as urine tests, routine blood counts & blood chemistry tests, Epstein-

Barr virus (EBV) DNA levels and so on

It is important to detect this cancer at an early stage in order to cure it completely. One of the latest

and effective NP cancer testing involves NP Screen™. It is a pain-free and 99% precise genetic-based

screening test kit for early detection of NP cancer.