NASOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA

Course overview

NASOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA (NPC), PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS LYMPHOEPITHELIOMA, IS A MALIGNANCY ARISING FROM THE EPITHELIUM OF THE NASOPHARYNX. ENDEMIC TO CHINA, THE MALIGNANCY SHOWS A VARIABLE RATE OF OCCURRENCE RANGING FROM HIGH INCIDENCE IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF CHINA TO A LOW RATE IN THE WHITE POPULATION AND NORTHERN CHINA, WITH AN INCIDENCE RANGING FROM 15 TO 50 PER 100000. A COMPLEX INTERPLAY OF GENETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY AND EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS (EBV) INFECTION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DISEASE. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES IN DETAIL THE INCIDENCE, EPIDEMIOLOGY, CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT OF NASOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.