What is advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma?
What is advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma?
Nasopharyngeal (nay-zoh-fuh-RIN-jee-ul) 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.
What is the survival rate of nasopharyngeal carcinoma?
The 5-year survival rate for people with NPC is 61%. However, survival rates depend on many factors, including the location of the tumor and if or where it has spread, called the stage. If the cancer is located only in the nasopharynx, the 5-year survival rate is 85%.
What is Stage 3 nasopharyngeal?
Stage 3 nasopharyngeal cancer means one of the following: The cancer has spread to nearby bones and air cavities (sinuses). It might also have spread to lymph nodes on one or both sides of the neck, or behind the throat, but not anywhere else. The affected lymph nodes are not more than 6 cm across.
Does nasopharyngeal cancer cause death?
One of the most common cancers in head and neck is nasopharyngeal cancer [3, 4], which is associated with a very unique geographical distribution pattern. It is reported that there are about 86,500 cases of nasopharynx cancer and 50,000 deaths from the disease worldwide [5].
What virus is associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma?
In recent years, scientists have studied how the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may cause cells in the nasopharynx to become cancer, but there’s still a lot to learn. In developed countries, most people infected with EBV have infectious mononucleosis (mono), and their immune system is able to recognize and destroy the virus.
What does nasopharynx mean?
(NAY-zoh-FAYR-inx) The upper part of the throat behind the nose. An opening on each side of the nasopharynx leads into the ear.
Is nasopharyngeal carcinoma rare?
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. This cancer is much more common in certain parts of South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.
What is a nasopharyngeal mass?
A nasopharyngeal tumor is a growth that forms in the nasopharynx, or the uppermost portion of the throat that is found behind the nasal cavity. The nasopharynx serves as a passageway for air from the nose to the throat and eventually to the lungs. A tumor in the nasopharynx may be either benign or malignant.
What is nodal stage?
Introduction. Nodal disease is most frequently staged using the TNM staging system. This classifies tumours according to Tumour extent, Nodal involvement and the presence or absence of Metastases. The nodal stage is of prognostic value and therefore influences the choice of therapy.
How long can I live with stage 4 nasopharyngeal cancer?
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.
What is the prognosis for stage 4 nasopharyngeal cancer?
For example, if the 5-year relative survival rate for a specific stage of nasopharyngeal cancer is 80%, it means that people who have that cancer are, on average, about 80% as likely as people who don’t have that cancer to live for at least 5 years after being diagnosed.
Is nasopharyngeal carcinoma hereditary?
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. Just as people have different blood types, they also have different tissue types.
What are the stages of nasopharyngeal cancer?
There are four stages of nasopharyngeal cancer. The lower the number, the less the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Stage 1 is called early stage nasopharyngeal cancer. Stage 2 is called intermediate-stage nasopharyngeal cancer. Stages 3 and 4 are called advanced or late-stage nasopharyngeal cancer.
What are the first symptoms of nasopharyngeal cancer?
A lump in your neck caused by a swollen lymph node
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%.
Can surgery cure nasopharyngeal cancer?
Surgery is rarely used to treat nasopharyngeal cancer because it is difficult to reach tumours in the nasopharynx. The type of surgery you have depends mainly on the size of the tumour and stage of the cancer. When planning surgery, your healthcare team will also consider other factors, such as your age and overall heath.