Do You Know That There Is Nasopharyngeal Cancer

What is nasopharyngeal cancer

Nasopharyngeal cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the nasopharynx. To be aware of nasopharyngeal cancer, it’s good to know the structure and function of the nasopharynx. The nasopharynx is at the top of the throat (pharynx), behind the nose and near the base of the skull. The nasopharynx serves as the passageway for air from the nose to the throat (and ultimately to the lungs).

Several types of tumors can develop in the nasopharynx, namely those that are benign/benign/non-cancerous and there are also malignant/malignant/cancerous ones. The most common malignant/cancerous tumor of the nasopharynx is nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Carcinoma is cancer that starts in the epithelial cells that line the internal and external surfaces of the body. There are three types of NPC depending on how the cancer cells appear under the microscope, namely keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma, non-keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma, and undifferentiated carcinoma.

Symptoms of Nasopharyngeal Cancer

This disease occurs when there is a change or mutation of cells in the nasopharynx into abnormal cells that develop together uncontrollably. There are several factors that increase the risk of nasopharyngeal cancer, one of which is infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). This virus only increases the risk of nasopharyngeal cancer, but not all who are infected with this virus develop nasopharyngeal cancer.

In addition to EBV, unhealthy eating patterns, such as consuming too much salt, consuming salted fish or meat, family history of similar illnesses, to the normality of smoking and consuming too much alcohol.

This disease can be experienced by anyone, but men are at a higher risk of experiencing this disease than women. Unfortunately, this disease rarely shows signs early in its development. Symptoms of nasopharyngeal cancer can be experienced when the cancer cells have reached a fairly severe level.

Nasopharyngeal Cancer Diagnosis

The process of diagnosing nasopharyngeal cancer can begin with questions from a doctor or medical expert about your medical history and family history. After that, a thorough physical check can be carried out. A careful examination may be carried out of the nose, throat and ears.

The doctor can also examine your neck. Most patients with nasopharyngeal cancer have a lump in their neck. This is a sign that the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.

A small, flexible tube can be inserted through your mouth to see the nasopharynx more clearly. This procedure is called a nasopharyngoscopy. This technique helps the doctor examine the area of the nasopharynx to see if there are any abnormalities, bleeding, or other problems occurring.

If there are abnormal things from the results of the examination, the doctor can advise you to do a biopsy. A biopsy is the removal of a small quantity of body tissue for further examination under a microscope.

Prevention of Nasopharyngeal Cancer

To prevent nasopharyngeal cancer, you can adopt a healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly and eating more healthy foods with balanced nutrition.

Stop the normality of smoking and consuming alcoholic beverages. Also limit consuming foods high in salt, processed foods, and foods that are burned because they can increase levels of cancer-causing carcinogens.

In addition, you are also advised to have regular medical check-ups to detect health problems as early as possible. One of them is through a cancer screening package from Siloam Hospitals which you can choose according to your needs and health situation.

However, if you or your closest relative need optimal cancer treatment, you can visit MRCCC Siloam Hospitals Semanggi which is the first private hospital that specifically treats cancer in Indonesia.

You can make an appointment in advance by contacting our call center in the features available on the application via the link https://healthnowclinic.org/.

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