Among several kinds of rare and common identified and under-trial cancers, there is one accosted with the head and nose. This cancer is called nasopharyngeal cancer. It appears in the throat and stretches from behind the nose to the windpipe. There are other kinds of cancers that also affect the throat area; ensure not to confuse this with them. Having nasopharyngeal cancer is rare in the western parts of the world. The tumor is more populated on the Asian side and can be transmitted through family genetics. Although the nasopharyngeal cancer doesn’t have severe symptoms at the start, and the signs don’t show up soon, it can advance quickly. Here is everything you need to know to determine if you have the nasopharyngeal cancer
Why Routine Checkup is Important
Nasopharyngeal cancer is prominent in countries like China and different parts of Asia. And because its symptoms are less serious and common for other illnesses as well, it may not be found out until it has spread and in the last stages. For this reason, routine checkups every year can help, especially if your family has a history of NPC. Advanced medical tests conducted in firms can be best to detect early signs of nasopharyngeal cancer and detect staging. With annual screenings of the tumor and reports accumulated from it, you can control and treat it at any stage.
NPC Symptoms
NPC is a cancer associated with the nose, throat, and ears. It can appear in any of these areas and spread from there. Hence the signs and symptoms occur at these organs and affect them in a way or another. If you’re suffering from any of the following symptoms or a couple of them for a few weeks, you may have NPC:
- A lump in the neck
- Stuffy Nose
- Nosebleeds
- Hearing loss in one ear
- Tinnitus
- Breathing difficulty
- Sore throat
Make sure to talk about these symptoms with your general practitioner or a specialist cancer doctor. These symptoms can be a sign of any condition, but to steer clear of the cancer, performing tests can be better from services like Take2 Health.
What Can Increase Chances of Nasopharyngeal Cancer
If you have fewer symptoms or they aren’t even showing yet, some other signs can determine the presence of NPC. These can be belonging to a Northern African or Southeast Asian nationality, a habit of large alcohol consumption, a relative with NPC history, contact with the Epstein-Barr, and so on. Some habits and aspects can also aid in increasing the tumor or having it reoccur.
This can happen due to high exposure to wood dust, ingesting of a large quantity of salt incurred meats, heavy alcohol, and tobacco intake. While these things aren’t directly related to developing the virus or increasing it, they can be a factor in growing or spreading the cancer to different parts of the body.
Staging Methods
Tests done to rule out the possibility of nasopharyngeal cancer stages are called staging. The following are some types of tests and scans the doctors may conduct to identify NPC appearance:
- Nasendoscopy
- MRI scans
- CT scans
- Biopsy
- Hearing test
- Physical tests
According to your doctor and your health needs, more tests may be included for a thorough nasopharyngeal cancer blood test service. These tests can also have a screening of the Epstein-Barr virus if necessary.
Treatment Routes
Nasopharyngeal cancer treatment is still on trial. And the treatments for this cancer are still being resected. However, there are still some ways the tumor can be caught and treated with the right producers provided by specialist physicians. There are two primary to three ways of getting rid of cancer cells in the body, namely; radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. Whether you need anyone or two of these treatments, your doctor will know best and provide you information on the right route.