How to diagnose nasopharyngeal carcinoma

There are many methods to treat nasopharyngeal carcinoma, but this disease is not an easy one to cure because it is confused with many other diseases. Therefore, to diagnose the disease, you must rely on formal methods. You must understand the methods for diagnosing nasopharyngeal carcinoma and do not ignore the harmfulness of the disease.

(I) Anterior rhinoscopy

After the nasal mucosa is contracted, the posterior nasal cavity and nasopharynx can be viewed through the anterior rhinoscope, and tumors that have invaded or are adjacent to the nostrils can be detected.

(ii) Indirect nasopharyngeal endoscopy

The method is simple and practical. Each wall of the nasopharynx should be examined in turn, with attention paid to the posterior wall of the nasopharyngeal roof and the pharyngeal recesses on both sides. The corresponding parts on both sides should be observed in comparison. Any asymmetric submucosal protrusions or isolated nodules on both sides should be paid more attention.

(III) Fiberoptic nasopharyngeal endoscopy

For fiberoptic nasopharyngoscopy, 1% ephedrine solution can be used to shrink the nasal mucosa and expand the nasal passages. Then 1% dicaine solution can be used to anesthetize the nasal passages. Then the fiberoptic scope can be inserted from the nasal cavity, and the scope can be pushed forward while being observed until it reaches the nasopharyngeal cavity. This method is simple and the scope is well fixed, but the observation of the posterior nasal cavity and the anterior wall of the roof is not satisfactory.

(IV) Neck biopsy

For cases that have not been diagnosed by nasopharyngeal biopsy, a neck mass biopsy can be performed. Generally, it can be performed under local anesthesia. During the operation, the first hard lymph node that appears should be selected, and the capsule should be removed as a whole. If excisional biopsy is indeed difficult, a wedge-shaped biopsy can be performed at the mass. When removing tissue, a certain depth must be maintained, and squeezing should be avoided. At the end of the operation, the surgical field should not be sutured too tightly or too densely.

(V) Fine Needle Aspiration

This is a simple, safe and efficient method for tumor diagnosis, which has been highly recommended in recent years. For patients suspected of cervical lymph node metastasis, fine needle aspiration can be used to obtain cells first.

(VI) EB virus serological test

At present, the immunoenzymatic method is widely used to detect the titers of IgA/VCA and IgA/EA antibodies of EB virus. The former has higher sensitivity and lower accuracy, while the latter is just the opposite. Therefore, it is advisable to test both antibodies at the same time for patients suspected of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, which is helpful for early diagnosis. For cases with IgA/VCA titer ≥1:40 and/or IgA/EA titer ≥1:5, even if there is no abnormality in the nasopharynx, exfoliated cells or biopsy should be taken at the site where nasopharyngeal carcinoma is prone to occur.

Nasopharyngeal cancer is a disease with a high mortality rate. Although it is not a terminal illness, we should pay enough attention to it if we find it. During treatment, patients should also pay attention to the details of their lives, so as not to cause the disease to worsen and endanger our health due to their own neglect.