WHAT IS NASOPHARYNGEAL CANCER?
Nasopharyngeal cancer (or NPC) is a rare type of cancer that starts in the nasopharynx.
The nasopharynx is located at the upper part of the throat behind the nose and near the base of the skull, as seen in the diagram below.
CAN NASOPHARYNGEAL CANCER COME BACK?
NPC can come back at or near the original tumor after being treated (recurrent locally advanced) or spread to other areas of the body (metastatic). This is also known as R/M NPC.
Recurrent locally
advanced NPC
The cancer has come back at or near the same place as the original tumor.
Metastatic NPC
The cancer has spread to other areas of the body.
WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF NASOPHARYNGEAL CANCER?
There are 3 main types of nasopharyngeal cancer:
Keratinizing
squamous
cell cancer
Keratinizing cells produce an excess amount of protein called keratin. Keratin hardens the outermost layer of the tumor.
Both types 2 and 3 are nonkeratinizing, which means hardening does not happen.
Differentiated
nonkeratinizing
cell cancer
Differentiated cells tend to grow and spread slowly to other parts of the body.
unDifferentiated
nonkeratinizing
cell cancer
Undifferentiated cells tend to grow and spread quickly to other parts of the body.
Regardless of which type of nasopharyngeal cancer you have, the treatment may be the same
GLOSSARY
Squamous cell
Flat cells located on the outer part of the epidermis that are constantly being shed as new cells form.