What is the leading cause of nasopharyngeal cancer?
Causes of nasopharyngeal cancer having a diet very high in salt-cured meats and fish. coming into contact with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a common virus that causes glandular fever. having a job where you regularly come into contact with hardwood dust or a chemical called formaldehyde.
What has been linked to nasopharyngeal carcinoma?
Epstein-Barr virus. The Epstein-Barr virus is also linked to several rare cancers, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Why do Chinese get nasopharyngeal cancer?
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is rare in most parts of the world but is a common malignancy in southern China, especially in Guangdong. Dietary habit is regarded as an important modifier of NPC risk in several endemic areas and may partially explain the geographic distribution of NPC incidence.
Where does a nasopharyngeal carcinoma arise from?
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma, also known as nasopharyngeal cancer, is classified as a malignant neoplasm, or cancer, arising from the mucosal epithelium of the nasopharynx, most often within the lateral nasopharyngeal recess or fossa of Rosenmüller (a recess behind the entrance of the eustachian tube opening).
Is nasopharyngeal cancer caused by smoking?
People who smoke or used to smoke are at an increased risk of nasopharyngeal cancer. In the UK, 25 out of 100 cases of nasopharyngeal cancer (25%) are caused by smoking. People who smoke more heavily and over a longer time have a higher risk.
Is NPC hereditary?
Family history. Family members of people with NPC are more likely to get this cancer. It’s not known if this is because of inherited genes , shared environmental factors (such as the same diet or living quarters), or some combination of these.
How Epstein Barr virus causes nasopharyngeal carcinoma?
When a cell is infected with the virus, the viral DNA may mix with the normal human DNA. Then the EBV DNA may instruct the cells of the nasopharynx to divide and grow in an abnormal way. Still, EBV infection rarely leads to NPC, so other factors probably play a role in whether or not it causes cancer.
Why is nasopharyngeal cancer more common in Asia?
A diet high in salt-cured fish, meat or both is common in Southeast Asia, Southern China and northern Africa. It is also common among Inuit people in the Alaskan and Canadian Arctic. Rates of nasopharyngeal cancer are high in areas where eating salt-cured foods, especially Chinese-style salted fish, is very common.
What were your first symptoms of nasopharyngeal cancer?
The first symptom of nasopharynx cancer is usually a lump in the upper part of the neck….Other signs and symptoms may include:
- Swelling of the neck.
- Persistent headaches.
- Nasal congestion (a blocked nose)
- Facial pain.
- Nosebleeds.
- Changes in hearing.
- Ringing in the ears.
- Many people have no symptoms.
How common is nasopharyngeal carcinoma?
Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is quite rare. In most parts of the world (including the United States), there’s less than one case for every 100,000 people each year.
What is stage 4 nasopharyngeal carcinoma?
Stage IV nasopharyngeal cancer is divided into stages IVA and IVB. In stage IVA, (1) cancer has spread to the brain, the cranial nerves, the hypopharynx, the salivary gland in the front of the ear, the bone around the eye, and/or the soft tissues of the jaw.
How common is NPC?
NPC is uncommon in the United States. Less than 1 person out of 100,000 people is diagnosed with NPC each year. NPC is more common in certain parts of North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, particularly in some areas of China.