About nasopharyngeal
cancer
Risk factors
& symptoms
Diagnosis
& treatment
FAQs
Resources
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WHAT CAUSES NASOPHARYNGEAL CANCER?

While the exact cause is not known, there are risk factors associated with NPC.

Genetic factors

  • Most common in people of Southeast Asian descent
  • 2-3 times more likely to occur in males than females
  • More likely to occur in family members of people with a medical history of NPC

Environmental factors

  • Alcohol or tobacco use
  • Eating and cooking salt-preserved foods
  • History of workplace exposures to wood dust and formaldehyde

Viral factors

  • Strong association with Epstein-Barr virus and types 2 and 3 NPC
  • Possible association with human papillomavirus and type 1 NPC

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF NASOPHARYNGEAL CANCER?

It can be difficult to recognize symptoms of nasopharyngeal cancer because they are similar to other conditions. Signs may include:

  • Swelling or mass in the neck
  • Hearing loss, pain, ringing, or fullness in the ear
  • Nosebleeds
  • Headaches
  • Nasal obstruction or stuffiness
  • Sore throat
  • Fatigue
  • Pain, numbness, or paralysis of face

NPC Sound Check

Hearing loss could be due to many common issues. In rare cases, it may indicate something more serious: nasopharyngeal cancer, or NPC, a form of head and neck cancer.

People with nasopharyngeal cancer commonly experience hearing impairment because sound waves may encounter obstacles in the middle ear due to tumor growth. People often report having symptoms in one ear and trouble hearing higher frequencies, specifically between 3500 Hz and 6000 Hz.

How to use this sound check

  • For an optimal experience:
    • Put on your headphones
    • Turn off noise cancelling
    • Raise device volume to 100%
  • Make sure you’re in a quiet environment
  • Click the button to start/stop the tone
HEARING IMPAIRMENTIS TYPICALLYASSOCIATEDWITH FREQUENCIESAT THESE LEVELS350006000035006000HEARING IMPAIRMENT IS TYPICALLY ASSOCIATEDWITH FREQUENCIES AT THESE LEVELS

Frequency (Hz)

Slide the toggle from left to right to check your ability to hear sounds at different frequencies.

Balance

Select what you want to check: left ear, right ear, or both.

If you’re having trouble hearing frequencies between 3500 Hz and 6000 Hz, you should speak with your doctor or a hearing care professional.

Only a hearing test performed by a qualified hearing care professional can provide you with a precise profile of your hearing ability. This test is not intended to replace a professional hearing test from a qualified hearing care professional.

See how nasopharyngeal cancer
is diagnosed and treated

GLOSSARY

A common virus remaining inactive in most people. EBV is associated with certain cancers such as NPC, specifically types 2 and 3.

Cancer that presents in the head or neck region (areas such as the nasal cavity, sinuses, throat, voice box, mouth, or salivary glands).

The most common sexually transmitted infection. HPV is associated with type 1 NPC.