Nasopharyngeal cancer is the 22nd most prevalent cancer worldwide. It is the 18th most prevalent cancer in men and the 22nd most common cancer in women. There were more than 133,000 new cases of nasopharyngeal cancer in 2020. This cancer is much more common in parts of South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.
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What Is Nasopharyngeal Cancer?
Nasopharyngeal cancer, or NPC, is a rare type of head and neck cancer that starts in the nasopharynx and involves uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. Nasopharynx is the upper part of the throat that lies behind the nose and nasal cavity.
What Are The Causes Of Nasopharyngeal Cancer?
Scientists are not exactly aware of what causes nasopharyngeal cancer. But they know that DNA changes trigger the onset of blood cancer, but what leads to those changes in the DNA is still unknown. Oncologists are still studying all the cancer cases to understand the cause better.
But, scientists have identified two major contributing factors – smoking and drinking. When burned, cigarettes create more than 7,000 chemicals. At least 69 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer, and many are toxic.
What Are The Symptoms Of Nasopharyngeal Cancer?
In its early stages, nasopharyngeal carcinoma may not cause any symptoms. Possible noticeable symptoms of nasopharyngeal carcinoma include:
- A lump in your neck caused by a swollen lymph node
- Bloody discharge from your nose
- Nasal congestion
- Ringing in your ears
- Hearing loss
- Frequent ear infections
- Sore throat
- Headaches
- Unintended weight loss
What Are The Risk Factors Of Nasopharyngeal Cancer?
Scientists have identified some risk factors associated with the onset of nasopharyngeal cancer. These include:
- Sex: NPC is more common in men compared to women.
- Ethnicity: Cancer is more common amongst the people of Northern Africa, China, and Southeast Asia. Inuits in Alaska also have an increased risk of nasopharyngeal cancer.
- Age: NPC is more common amongst individuals aged between 30 and 55.
- Salt-cured foods: People who eat diets rich in salt-cured meat and fish have a higher chance of developing nasopharyngeal cancer.
- Epstein-Barr virus: It is the virus that causes mononucleosis. EBV is commonly found in persons with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Although the link between the two disorders is well documented, not everyone with EBV will develop nasopharyngeal cancer.
- Family history: A family member with nasopharyngeal carcinoma increases your disease risk.
- Alcohol and tobacco: Heavy alcohol intake and tobacco use can raise your risk of developing nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
How Does Nasopharyngeal Cancer Spread?
Cancer cells frequently spread to surrounding lymph nodes in the neck once the primary tumor has established in the nasopharynx. Cancer then spreads to other body parts, such as the liver, lungs, bones, or lymph nodes.
Several factors influence nasopharyngeal cancer staging, including tumor size and location, as well as the extent to which cancer cells have disseminated. Here’s a general outline of the nasopharyngeal cancer stages:
- Stage 0: Cancer affects only the top layer of cells in the nasopharynx.
- Stage 1: The tumor has grown into nearby structures, such as the back of the throat or the nasal cavity.
- Stage 2: Cancer has spread to one or more lymph nodes on one side of the neck.
- Stage 3: Cancer has spread to lymph nodes on both sides of the neck.
- Stage 4: The tumor has spread to the skull, eye, cranial nerves, salivary glands, or lower part of the throat. At stage 4, nasopharyngeal cancer may also spread to distant body parts.
- Stage 4A: Cancer has spread to one or more lymoh nodes on either side of the neck or/and back of the throat.
- Stage 4B: Cancer has spread beyond lymph nodes in the neck to distant lymph nodes like between lungs, between the collarbone, or the armpit, etc.
What Are The Complications Of Nasopharyngeal Cancer?
The complications of NPC include:
- Cancer that grows to invade nearby structures: If advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma spreads to neighboring structures such as the neck, bones, or brain, it might create difficulties.
- Cancer that spreads to other body areas: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma frequently spreads (metastasizes) to other body parts. Most people with nasopharyngeal carcinoma have regional metastases. This means that cancer cells from the original tumor have spread to surrounding sites, such as lymph nodes in the neck. Cancer cells that move to other parts of the body (distant metastases) usually end up in the bones, lungs, and liver.
How Is Nasopharyngeal Cancer Diagnosed?
Your healthcare practitioner will first discuss your medical history, followed by a physical examination. They may ask about your symptoms to better understand your condition. They may press on your neck to feel swelling in your lymph nodes. Tests and procedures used to diagnose nasopharyngeal cancer include:
- Nasal Endoscopy: A nasal endoscopy may be recommended if nasopharyngeal cancer is suspected. This test uses a tiny, flexible tube with a camera on the end to examine for abnormalities in your nasopharynx. The camera is put through your nose or a hole in your throat that leads into your nasopharynx. Local anesthesia may be used during nasal endoscopy.
- Biopsy: Your healthcare provider may use an endoscope to collect some tissue samples, which would then be tested in a lab for cancer.
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, your doctor orders other tests to determine the extent (stage) of the cancer, such as imaging tests.
Imaging tests may include:
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Computerized tomography (CT)
- Positron emission tomography (PET)
- X-ray
Apart from these tests, you may also be tested for Epstein-Barr virus DNA levels, as cancer is often linked to this virus.
Nasopharyngeal Cancer Treatment In India
After carefully studying your symptoms and reports, your healthcare provider will advise a treatment plan for you. Many nasopharyngeal cancers can be cured with early diagnosis and timely treatment.
Treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma usually begins with radiation therapy or a combination of radiation and chemotherapy, called chemoradiation.
Other treatment plans include:
- Chemotherapy: A treatment that uses drugs to destroy or slow down the growth of cancer cells. It is commonly used as an oral or intravenous therapy, circling throughout the body to reach cancer cells.
- Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy uses high-powered energy beams, such as X-rays or protons, to kill cancer cells. NPC is specifically sensitive to radiation, so this therapy is the first step in treatment plans.
- Surgery: Surgery, although a treatment option, is not preferred as the nasopharynx is challenging to operate on. However, surgery can remove the lymph nodes around the neck that haven’t responded to other treatments. Surgery is generalyy done to remove the small tumor that hasn’t spread beyonf teh nasopharynx. It is done in cases of relapse after radiation therapy.
- Targeted drug therapy: Some drugs can target certain cancers to curtail their spread. For example, People with nasopharyngeal cancer can benefit from cetuximab injections. Cetuximab is a synthetic version of an immune system protein. The therapy is most often combined with chemoradiation to treat nasopharyngeal cancer.
- Immunotherapy: The treatment involves strengthening the immune system to fight off the cancer cells.
Nasopharyngeal Cancer Treatment Cost In India
Nasopharyngeal Cancer treatment cost in India depends on factors like the stage of cancer, symptoms, hospital chosen for the treatment, treatment plan devised by the doctors, etc. The cost of nasopharyngeal cancer treatment in India is around $3500 to $4500.
Nasopharyngeal Cancer Treatment Hospitals In India
Discover the leading hospitals in India known for their expertise in treating this condition. Explore the top-notch medical facilities and advanced therapies these hospitals offer to provide the best care for patients with nasopharyngeal cancer. GoMedii has compiled a list of top nasopharyngeal cancer treatment hospitals in India for you to get cost-effective, hassle-free treatment.
The Hospitals are:
- Aster Medicity, Kochi
- Kauvery Hospital, Alwarpet, Chennai
- Max Hospital, Gurugram
- Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram
- Fortis Hospital, NOIDA
- Max Super Specialty Hospital, Saket, Delhi
- Sharda Hospitals, Greater NOIDA
- MGM Healthcare, Chennai
- Apollo Proton Cancer Center, Chennai
- Jaypee Hospitals, NOIDA
FAQ On Nasopharyngeal Cancer Treatment In India
1. Can nasopharyngeal cancer be cured?
If detected and treated at early stages, it is possible to cure nasopharyngeal cancer.
2. What is the survival rate of nasopharyngeal cancer?
The 5-year relative survival rate is 82% if the cancer is solely found in the nasopharynx. However, the 5-year relative survival rate is 72% if the cancer has migrated to adjacent tissues or organs and/or regional lymph nodes.
3. How is nasopharyngeal cancer detected?
A biopsy is the only technique to confirm the presence of NPC. Depending on the conditions, various types of biopsies may be used.
4. How fast does nasopharyngeal cancer grow?
According to government-backed reports, the median growth rate was 1.63mm(3) per day, and the median tumor doubling time was 279 days.
5. What is the cost of nasopharyngeal cancer treatment in India?
Nasopharyngeal cancer treatment cost in India ranges between $3500 to $4500, depending on the treatment plan, hospital chosen, and cancer stage.
The above article has been proofread by our in-house health expert Dr Alok Pandey, physician (MBBS).
Choose GoMedii For The Best Nasopharyngeal Cancer Treatment In India
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