Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma diagnosis often begins with an exam by a healthcare professional. The health professional may use a special scope to look inside the nasopharynx for signs of cancer. To confirm the diagnosis, a sample of tissue might be removed for testing.

Physical exam

A healthcare professional may do a physical exam to look for signs of cancer. This might include looking in your nose and throat. The health professional also may feel your neck for swelling in the lymph nodes. The health professional may ask about your symptoms and your habits.

Endoscopy

A healthcare professional who suspects nasopharyngeal carcinoma may do a procedure called a nasal endoscopy.

This test uses a thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera on the end, called an endoscope. It lets your healthcare professional see inside your nasopharynx. The endoscope might go through your nose to see your nasopharynx. Or the endoscope might go through the opening in the back of your throat that leads up into your nasopharynx.

Biopsy

A biopsy is a procedure to remove a sample of tissue for testing in a lab. For nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a healthcare professional might take the sample during a nasal endoscopy procedure. To do this, the health professional puts special tools through the endoscope to remove some tissue. If there is swelling in the lymph nodes in the neck, a needle might be used to draw out some cells for testing.

Tests to find the extent of the cancer

Once the diagnosis is confirmed, other tests can find the extent, called the stage, of the cancer. These might include imaging tests such as:

CT scan.
MRI scan.
Positron emission tomography scan, also called a PET scan.
X-ray.

The stages of nasopharyngeal carcinoma range from 0 to 4. A lower number means the cancer is small and is mostly in the nasopharynx. As the cancer grows larger or spreads beyond the nasopharynx, the stages go up.

A stage 4 nasopharyngeal carcinoma can mean the cancer has grown into nearby structures, such as the area around the eye or the lower parts of the throat. Stage 4 also can mean the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body.

Your healthcare team uses the stage and other factors to plan your treatment and understand the likely course of the cancer, called the prognosis.

Symptoms

When to see a doctor

Request an appointment

Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.

The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:

High blood pressure.
Diabetes.
Heart failure.
Some types of heart valve disease.

Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:

Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Don't smoke or use tobacco.
Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Reduce and manage stress.

By Freedmans Health Clinic Staff

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