Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a rare type of head and neck cancer. It starts in the upper part of your throat, behind the nose. This area is called the nasopharynx. The nasopharynx is precariously placed at the base of your skull, above the roof of your mouth. The incidence of NPC in Argentina in men is 0.8 %, mortality is 0.8 % and estimated 5-year prevalence is 1.1 %. In women, the incidence is 0.4 %, mortality is 0.4 % and estimated 5-year prevalence is 0.4 %. Radiation therapy is the mainstay of treatment, with chemotherapy used in advanced cases.

Concurrent cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and radiotherapy have been shown to improve survival. Approaches to primary prevention of NPC remain under consideration. There is a need to conduct secondary prevention, such as improving rates of early detection, early diagnosis, and early treatment in NPC patients. Achievements in these areas might bring hope of providing a successful screening model in cancer.