Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is cancer that occurs in the nasopharynx, which is located behind your nose and above the back of your throat. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is rare in the United States. It occurs much more frequently in other parts of the world specifically Southeast Asia.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is difficult to detect early. That's probably because the nasopharynx isn't easy to examine and symptoms of nasopharyngeal carcinoma mimic those of other, more-common conditions.

Treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma usually involves radiation therapy, chemotherapy or a combination of the two. You can work with your doctor to determine the exact approach depending on your particular situation

In its early stages, nasopharyngeal carcinoma may not cause any symptoms. Possible noticeable symptoms of nasopharyngeal carcinoma include:
1) Lump in neck (most common)
2) Blurry or double vision
3) Ear infections that recur
4) Face pain or numbness
5) Headache
6) Hearing loss, ringing in the ears, or a feeling of fullness in the ear
7) Difficulty opening mouth
8) Nosebleeds
9) Stuffy nose
10) Sore throat
11) Blood in your saliva
12) Nasal congestion or ringing in your ears
13) Frequent ear infections

Exactly what causes the gene mutations that lead to nasopharyngeal carcinoma isn't known, though factors, such as the Epstein-Barr virus, that increase the risk of this cancer have been identified. However, it isn't clear why some people with all the risk factors never develop cancer, while others who have no apparent risk factors do.

Researchers have identified some factors that appear to increase your risk of developing nasopharyngeal carcinoma, including:
1) Sex. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is more common in men than it is in women.
2) Race. This type of cancer more commonly affects people in parts of China, Southeast Asia and northern Africa. In the United States, Asian immigrants have a higher risk of this type of cancer than do American-born Asians. Inuits in Alaska also have an increased risk of nasopharyngeal cancer.
3) Age. Nasopharyngeal cancer can occur at any age, but it's most commonly diagnosed in adults between the ages of 30 and 50.
4) Salt-cured foods. Chemicals released in steam when cooking salt-cured foods, such as fish and preserved vegetables, may enter the nasal cavity, increasing the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Being exposed to these chemicals at an early age may increase the risk even more.
5) Epstein-Barr virus. This common virus usually produces mild signs and symptoms, such as those of a cold. Sometimes it can cause infectious mononucleosis. The Epstein-Barr virus is also linked to several rare cancers, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
6) Family history. Having a family member with nasopharyngeal carcinoma increases your risk of the disease.
7) Alcohol and tobacco. Heavy alcohol intake and tobacco use can raise your risk of developing nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

There are 3 main types of nasopharyngeal cancer. They are:
1) keratinising squamous cell carcinoma
2) non keratinising squamous cell carcinoma
3) basaloid squamous cell carcinoma
Carcinoma is another word for cancer. Squamous cells are the flat skin-like cells that line the inside of your mouth, nose, voice box (larynx) and throat. A keratinising cancer has keratin in the cancer cells. Keratin is the protein that forms your hair and nails. Non keratinising cancer is the most common type of nasopharyngeal cancer. Basaloid squamous cell cancer is very rare. All these types of nasopharyngeal cancer are treated in the same way.

Staging describes or classifies a cancer based on how much cancer there is in the body and where it is when first diagnosed.
1) Stage 0 (carcinoma in situ)
The tumour is only in the lining of the nasopharynx.
2) Stage 1
The tumour is only in the nasopharynx or it may have grown into the oropharynx or nasal cavity or both.
3) Stage 2
The tumour has grown into the space around the pharynx or nearby muscles or both.
4) Stage 3
The cancer nearby muscles, nearby bones of the skull, oropharynx, nasal cavity, the part of the spine within the neck and may also have spread to lymph nodes in the neck or behind the pharynx above the level of the larynx and they are not larger than 6 cm.
5) Stage 4A
The cancer inside of the skull, hypopharynx, eye socket, parotid gland and through the outer part of the lateral pterygoid muscle may also have spread to lymph nodes in the neck or behind the pharynx above the level of the larynx and they are not larger than 6 cm.
6) Stage 4B
The cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the neck and they are larger than 6 cm or there are lymph nodes with cancer that are below the level of the larynx or both.
7) Stage 4C
The cancer has spread to other parts of the body (called distant metastasis), such as to the lungs, the liver or other bones. This is also called metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer.

If doctor thinks that you may have nasopharyngeal cancer, they will ask about your family history and perform a full physical examination. Your nasopharynx will be examined closely as well as your head, neck, mouth, throat, nose, facial muscles and lymph nodes. Doctor may also perform a hearing test and may perform:
1) Biopsy.
To find out if your nasopharynx contains cancerous cells, your healthcare provider will remove a small piece of tissue from the area. The sample is then sent to a lab so it can be examined under a microscope.
2) CT scan.
A computed tomography (CT) scan is a type of X-ray that takes detailed images inside your body. This scan can show whether or not a tumor is present. It can also give your healthcare provider information about the size, shape and location of a tumor.
3) MRI scan.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnets and radio waves to capture images inside your body. This imaging test tells your healthcare provider if cancer has spread to nearby structures.
4) PET scan.
Positron emission tomography (PET) scans are taken after radioactive sugar is put into your blood. Cancer cells grow rapidly, so they absorb a lot of the sugar. As a result, these cells become temporarily radioactive and visible on a PET scan. Once the sugar has been put in your blood, a specialized camera takes pictures of radioactivity in your body. Your healthcare provider can use a PET scan to determine if cancer has spread to your lymph nodes.
5) Chest X-ray.
If you’ve already been diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer, a chest X-ray can tell you if cancer has spread to your lungs. This usually doesn’t occur unless the cancer is advanced.
6) Epstein-Barr virus DNA levels test.
Because nasopharyngeal cancer is often linked to the Epstein-Barr virus, you'll be tested to measure the blood level of Epstein-Barr virus DNA.
7) Radiation therapy.
This treatment uses high-energy X-rays to slow or kill cancer cells. Nasopharyngeal cancer is particularly sensitive to radiation so this type of therapy is often used to treat the disease.
8) Chemotherapy.
Anti-cancer drugs given either by mouth or intravenously. Because chemotherapy travels through the bloodstream, it’s useful for cancers that have spread to other parts of the body.
9) Chemoradiation.
In many cases of nasopharyngeal cancer, chemotherapy is used in combination with radiation therapy. This can make the effects of radiation stronger, but it can also have more side effects.
10) Surgery.
In some instances, the tumor can be surgically removed. However, because the nasopharynx is a difficult area to operate on, surgery usually isn’t the main treatment option. However, surgery is sometimes used to remove lymph nodes in the neck that haven’t responded to other treatments.
11) Targeted drug therapy.
Some drugs can target certain types of cancer. People with nasopharyngeal cancer can benefit from cetuximab injections. Cetuximab is a synthetic version of an immune system protein. Targeted drug therapy is most often combined with chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
12) Immunotherapy.
This treatment boosts your own immune system to help detect and fight cancer cells. At present, it remains largely experimental.

If you are diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer, you will need regular follow-ups with your medical team before, during, and after treatment. Treatment may include:
1) Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses X-rays to kill cancer cells and stop them from growing. It is usually part of the standard treatment for early stage nasopharyngeal cancer
One type called IMRT delivers high-dose radiation directly to the tumor while minimizing damage to nearby healthy tissue. It may cause fewer side effects or complications than conventional radiation treatment to the nasopharynx, which can lead to dry mouth, inflammation of the lining of your mouth and throat, blindness, brain stem injury. death of healthy tissue and tooth decay:
2) Surgery
Surgery to remove the tumor is not often performed because of the tumor's location near nerves and blood vessels. It may cause permanent damage to the eye and other nearby structures. Not all people with nasopharyngeal cancer can have surgery. Your doctor will consider the location and stage of your tumor when discussing your treatment options.
3) Biologic drugs
Biologic drugs affect how your body's immune system fights disease. They include monoclonal antibodies such as cetuximab (Erbitux), pembrolizumab (Keytruda), and nivolumab (Opdivo). Biologics work differently than chemotherapy drugs and may be used more often in cases of advanced or recurrent cancer.
4) Palliative therapy
The goal of palliative treatment is to control symptoms related to cancer and cancer treatment and make you as comfortable as possible.
5) Clinical trials
If treatment does not work, consider joining a clinical trial. Researchers are always testing new ways to treat cancer, and they need your help. Ask your doctor or nurse if there are any clinical trials on nasopharyngeal cancer in your area.

5-year relative survival rates for nasopharyngeal cancer
1) Localized: 85% There is no sign that the cancer has spread outside of the nasopharynx.
2) Regional: 71% The cancer has spread outside the nasopharynx to nearby structures or lymph nodes.
3) Distant: 49% The cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the lungs or liver.

Cancer is a life threatening disease that can affect anyone regardless of race, age, and gender. Traditional cancer treatments like radiotherapy and chemotherapy often result in undesirable and uncomfortable side effects such as vomiting, numbness, nausea, and diarrhea to name a few. Herbal medicine is a complementary therapy that some people with cancer use to ease cancer symptoms. Herbal remedies for cancer such as those commonly found in traditional medicine contains antimutagenic, anti-inflammatory, and apoptosis inducing compounds that help in slowing the development of cancer and relieve treatment side effects for patients.

Herbal medicine has a wide variety of applications but all of them rely on the sustainable use of various plant parts such as flowers, leaves, bark, and roots. Each part of a plant features different medicinal properties and uses. Although herbal medicine has countless use cases, cancer care is one of the most practical applications because of how harsh traditional oncology treatments can be on patients.

Herbal remedies are a part of a growing field of medicine called integrative oncology. Research conducted on the use of herbal medicine for cancer complementary therapy has proven herbs can:
• Slows the spread of cancer
• Reduces the side effects of cancer treatment
• Boosts immune system strength and functionality
• Minimizes the symptoms of cancer
• Attacks cancer cells

Several herbs may help control the side effects of conventional cancer treatment. However, doctors do not recommend that cancer patients take herbal medicine while undergoing normal traditional cancer treatment. Herbal medicines may be likely less to cause side effects than traditional drugs. But patients may can still experience complications. Some herbs may can cause negative interactions with chemotherapy drugs. Closely monitor how you feel before and after taking herbal remedies. Patients should always consult with their doctor before trying herbs as a complementary therapy or the supplements to avoid complications.