Prevention and treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

How much do you know about nasopharyngeal cancer? In fact, nasopharyngeal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors, and it is the most common malignant tumor in the ear, nose, and throat. Nasopharyngeal cancer is extremely harmful, so it is necessary to know some basic knowledge about nasopharyngeal cancer. Today, I will introduce nasopharyngeal cancer to you in detail. Don't miss it if you are interested in it!

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma refers to a malignant tumor that occurs on the top and side walls of the nasopharyngeal cavity. It is one of the most common malignant tumors in my country. There are many treatment methods for the nasopharyngeal cavity. Currently, radiotherapy is the first choice for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. However, for highly differentiated cancers, advanced disease course, and recurrence after radiotherapy, surgical resection and chemotherapy are also indispensable means.

Treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer

Most NPCs are moderately sensitive to radiotherapy, and radiotherapy is the first choice for NPC. However, for highly differentiated cancers, advanced disease, and recurrence after radiotherapy, surgical resection and chemotherapy are also indispensable means.

1. Radiation therapy

(1) New radiotherapy technologies in recent years

a. Intracavitary brachytherapy

Commonly used radiation sources include iridium[192] and cesium[137]. The biggest advantage of brachytherapy is that it can increase the local radiation dose in the target area while reducing radiation damage to surrounding normal tissues. Brachytherapy is usually used as a supplement to external beam radiotherapy.

b. Gamma Knife Treatment

Gamma Knife is a three-dimensional stereotactic high-energy focused multi-beam gamma ray treatment device. After the tumor is accurately located, a large dose of radiation can be used to destroy the tumor at one time. The damage to the surrounding normal tissue is minimal. Gamma Knife treatment is suitable for nasopharyngeal carcinoma cases that recur after radiotherapy. Gamma Knife treatment should be used with caution for newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal carcinoma cases, as its long-term effect in treating nasopharyngeal carcinoma needs further observation.

c. Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy

Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy is one of the most important advances in tumor radiotherapy in recent years. It can distribute the radiation dose more evenly in the target area according to the different shapes of the tumor. ④ Conformal emphasis radiotherapy Conformal emphasis radiotherapy is a new radiotherapy technology developed in recent years. This technology can give different target areas different radiation doses according to the size, shape and biological behavior characteristics of different tumors, and at the same time has a unique protective advantage for important organs around the tumor.

2. Chemotherapy

It is mainly used for mid- and late-stage cases. It is an auxiliary or palliative treatment for patients who cannot control the disease or relapse after radiotherapy. There are three commonly used ways of administration.

3. Combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy

For advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma, radiation and chemotherapy can be combined for treatment. Literature reports that the effect of combined treatment is significantly better than that of single treatment.

4. Surgery

Target customers

1) Patients with pathological types of well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma and other cancers that are insensitive to radiation, and whose lesions are confined to the posterior or anterior wall of the roof, and who have no contraindications to surgery, may consider resection of the primary lesion. Patients in stages II, III, and IV are not suitable for surgical treatment.

2) For patients with residual or recurrent lesions in the nasopharynx or neck after radiotherapy, if they are confined to the posterior or anterior wall of the nasopharyngeal roof, without skull base bone destruction, and in good general condition, and who have recently undergone radiotherapy and are not suitable for further radiotherapy, resection of the lesions may be considered.

3) When there is residual or recurrence in the neck, if the area is limited and active, neck lymph node clearance surgery may be considered.

When there are residual cervical lymph nodes after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, surgery should be performed early. If it is treated promptly within 3-6 months after radiotherapy, the prognosis is better.

5. Chemotherapy

More than 95% of nasopharyngeal carcinomas are poorly differentiated and undifferentiated, with high malignancy, rapid growth, and easy lymph node or blood metastasis. When nasopharyngeal carcinoma is diagnosed, 75% of patients are already in stage III and IV. The later the disease is, the more chances of distant metastasis and the worse the prognosis. Radiotherapy is a local treatment method that cannot prevent distant metastasis. Therefore, combined use of chemicals or a combination of several drugs may shrink the tumor or eliminate tiny lesions and improve the treatment effect. Main methods: