Can nasopharyngeal carcinoma be treated with surgery?

Written by Yao Jun

Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

Updated on September 20, 2024

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Nasopharyngeal cancer is a malignant tumor in the nasopharynx, which is mainly found in coastal and Guangdong areas, and is more common among Mongoloid races. The treatment methods for nasopharyngeal cancer include radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and combined chemoradiotherapy. If the tumor does not disappear after combined chemoradiotherapy and is insensitive to drugs, surgery can be considered. Surgery is not the first-line treatment option for nasopharyngeal cancer; the first-choice treatments are radiotherapy and combined chemoradiotherapy, which are very effective and have a high five-year survival rate. If the cancer is insensitive to radiation and drugs, surgical treatment can be an option in such cases.

Other Voices

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Written by Deng Bang Yu

Otolaryngology

1min

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How to check for nasopharyngeal carcinoma?

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a malignant tumor in the nasal area, clinically mainly squamous cell carcinoma. The incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is relatively high in southern regions of our country. Clinically, the primary treatment is radiotherapy. For diagnosis, the first general step involves using an electronic nasopharyngoscope to examine the nasopharyngeal area for suspicious conditions. Further imaging studies can also be conducted, such as CT scans and MRI scans of the nasopharyngeal area. Through these examinations, if a neoplasm in the nasal area is essentially identified and suspected to be nasopharyngeal carcinoma, an endoscopic examination is conducted where forceps are used to clip tissue for a pathological biopsy. The pathological biopsy determines whether it is definitively nasopharyngeal carcinoma and identifies the type of cancer cells, thus guiding clinical treatment.

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Written by Li Rui

Otolaryngology

52sec

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Early symptoms of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

The symptoms of nasal cancer can be numerous. In the early stages, symptoms might not be apparent because the area affected is relatively small, which can make the symptoms unclear. Possible symptoms include bloody nasal discharge and poor nasal airflow. Some patients might experience a foreign body sensation in the nasopharyngeal area. The most important thing, however, is to use diagnostic aids to make an assessment. This can include a nasopharyngoscopy, an enhanced CT of the nasopharynx, or an enhanced MRI to preliminarily determine the presence of a tumor. If a tumor is suspected, it is possible to consider performing a biopsy and lab tests under endoscopy. Only after completing the biopsy and lab tests can it be confirmed whether it is nasopharyngeal cancer, and then further treatment plans can be considered.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu

Otolaryngology

1min 4sec

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What are the symptoms of nasopharyngeal carcinoma?

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a malignant, space-occupying lesion in our nasopharynx. Clinically, the initial symptoms are those of the nasopharynx, manifesting as discomfort in the nasopharyngeal area, or blood in nasal discharge when sniffling. As the nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissue enlarges, it can block the posterior nasal apertures, leading to nasal congestion, rapid breathing, and difficulty in breathing. The tumor tissue pressing on our Eustachian tube can cause secretory middle ear infections. The metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells to our cervical lymph nodes causes swelling of these lymph nodes. Destruction of the cranial structure by nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues presents symptoms such as headaches. There are also other symptoms, mainly due to the spread of nasopharyngeal carcinoma throughout the body or its metastasis to other parts causing corresponding symptoms.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu

Otolaryngology

1min 2sec

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How is nasopharyngeal carcinoma diagnosed?

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a malignant, occupying lesion that occurs in the nasopharyngeal area, and clinically it is mainly squamous cell carcinoma. Relatively speaking, although this tumor is malignant, its degree of malignancy is relatively low, especially when compared to liver cancer, lung cancer, and other malignant tumors. The definitive diagnosis of any tumor primarily relies on histopathological diagnosis, which means that pathological examination is the gold standard. In the case of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, we can make a pathological examination by using nasopharyngeal biopsy tissue with forceps under nasendoscopy. If cancer cells are found, then it is essentially confirmed. Of course, other examination methods, such as CT and MRI, are also helpful in diagnosing nasopharyngeal carcinoma and determining whether there are any metastases.

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Written by Li Rui

Otolaryngology

53sec

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What is nasopharyngeal carcinoma?

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a relatively common malignant tumor in the nasopharyngeal area, and the main pathological type is predominantly squamous carcinoma, most of which are poorly differentiated squamous carcinomas, constituting the most common malignant tumor in the nasopharyngeal area. Currently, the primary treatment option is radiotherapy, which is the most important; some patients may need to consider concurrent or adjuvant chemotherapy. If drug and radiotherapy treatments are ineffective, or if there is cervical lymph node metastasis, and for some patients where chemoradiotherapy fails with residual lesions, surgery may be considered. However, currently, the surgical treatment approach is generally not very mature and is somewhat controversial, thus it requires treatment at major hospitals.