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What is the best treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma?

What is the best treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma?

The main treatment for NPC is radiation therapy. It is often given in combination with chemotherapy. This approach may be called concomitant chemoradiotherapy. Surgery for NPC is occasionally used, mainly to remove lymph nodes after chemoradiotherapy or to treat NPC that has come back after initial treatment.

Why surgical treatment for cancer of nasopharynx is not recommended?

Because the nasopharynx is a hard place to operate on and because other types of treatment often work well, surgery is not usually the main treatment for people with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). Surgery is more often done to remove lymph nodes in the neck that haven’t responded to other treatments.

How many chemo treatments are needed for nasopharyngeal?

You usually have 3 cycles of chemotherapy before starting chemoradiotherapy. You usually have up to 6 cycles of cisplatin and gemcitabine for nasopharyngeal cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

What is metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma?

Most people with nasopharyngeal carcinoma have regional metastases. That means cancer cells from the initial tumor have migrated to nearby areas, such as lymph nodes in the neck. Cancer cells that spread to other areas of the body (distant metastases) most commonly travel to the bones, lungs and liver.

Can stage 4 nasopharyngeal cancer be cured?

They’re often curable if the cancer hasn’t spread beyond the head and neck region. Overall, about 50 out of every 100 people (50%) diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer will live for five years or more after diagnosis.

Can nasopharyngeal cancer be removed?

Small nasopharyngeal tumors may be removed through the nasal cavity. This is called endoscopic nasopharyngectomy. It’s considered a minimally invasive procedure because the surgeon does not have to make incisions on the face to remove the tumor.

What is the life expectancy of someone with Stage 4 esophageal cancer?

The stage 4 esophageal cancer life expectancy varies depending on the stage where the cancer has reached. According to surveys the stage 4 esophageal cancer life expectancy is only 6 months after diagnosis.

What is the prognosis for nasopharyngeal cancer?

Nasopharyngeal Cancer: Statistics. The 5-year survival rate for people with NPC is 60%. For the earliest stage of NPC, stage I (1), the 5-year survival rate is 72%. About 9% of people with NPC are diagnosed at this stage. The 5-year survival rate for stage II (2) disease is 64% and stage III (3) disease is 62%.

Is nasopharyngeal cancer curable?

Advanced Stage 3 Nasopharyngeal cancer is both treatable and curable if diagnosed early enough. Treatment options and recommendations depend on various factors, including the type of cancer, the stage of the cancer and the patient’s overall health.

Is nasopharyngeal cancer really a “Cantonese cancer”?

Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is endemic in Southern China, with Guandong province and Hong Kong reporting some of the highest incidences in the world. The journal Science has called it a “Cantonese cancer”.

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Ruth Doyle