HOW IS NASOPHARYNGEAL CANCER DIAGNOSED?
In order to diagnose nasopharyngeal cancer, your healthcare provider may consider the following:
MEDICAL HISTORY
When meeting with a healthcare professional, they may ask about your health and medical history, including tobacco and alcohol use.
They may also ask you about your family’s medical history to determine whether that could be a factor.
EXAM
Your healthcare provider will ask about any symptoms you are having.
They will examine you to look for signs of nasopharyngeal cancer and may conduct additional tests to better understand your condition and its effects. These may include:
- Neurological exam
- Radiologic imaging (MRI or CT scan of skull/base of neck; PET/CT and/or chest CT for distant metastases)
- Visual examination using a mirror or fiber-optic scope (endoscopy or nasopharyngoscopy)
- Biopsy/lab tests
- Hearing test
WHAT TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE?
Your treatment plan for nasopharyngeal cancer may include a combination of various cancer treatments designed to kill cancer cells or slow their growth.
When NPC is diagnosed, possible treatments include:
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (radiation therapy that uses 3D modeling to precisely deliver radiation to the tumor)
CAN NASOPHARYNGEAL CANCER COME BACK AFTER INITIAL TREATMENT?
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.
Additional treatments beyond traditional chemotherapy and radiation therapy are available. These include immunotherapy, which is designed to strengthen your body’s natural defenses against cancer.
GLOSSARY
Biopsy
The removal of cells or tissues for the purpose of pathologist examination and testing.
Chemotherapy
Medication used to stop the growth of cancer cells. It may be used alone or in combination with other treatments.
Computerized Tomography scan (ct)
An imaging test that uses X-rays linked to a computer to create detailed 3D images of tissues and organs from different angles inside the body.
Immunotherapy
Therapy that uses a person’s own immune system to help the body fight cancer.
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy
Highly precise therapy that delivers radiation to a tumor and produces 3D images of the size and shape of the tumor onto a computer screen.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
An imaging technique that uses radio waves and magnetic fields linked to a computer to create detailed images of areas inside the body. These images show the difference between normal and diseased tissue.
Positron emission tomography scan (PET)
A procedure where glucose is injected into a vein to identify cancer cells in the body through a scan.
Radiation therapy
High-energy radiation that comes from outside of the body that is used to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.