How nasopharyngeal carcinoma invades the orbit

When nasopharyngeal cancer patients experience eye symptoms such as visual impairment (may cause blindness), visual field loss, diplopia, exophthalmos, and limited movement, it indicates that nasopharyngeal cancer has invaded the patient's eye sockets or nerves related to the eyeballs, and also means that nasopharyngeal cancer is already in the late stage.

According to clinical observations, nasopharyngeal carcinoma can invade the orbit in the following ways:

Intracranial invasion of the orbit:

The cancer cells of nasopharyngeal carcinoma can invade the cavernous sinus through the internal carotid artery or foramen rupture, and then move forward through the superior orbital fissure to reach the orbit. Invasion of the orbit through the cranium is the most common invasion mode for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Extracranial extension to the orbit:

① Cancer cells enter the pterygopalatine fossa from the nasopharynx through the pterygoid canal, and then from the orbital apex to the orbit. This is a natural passage. However, since the pterygoid canal is very narrow, it is not easy for the cancer to reach the pterygopalatine fossa through it. Therefore, it is more common in clinical practice that the tumor first destroys the base of the pterygoid canal and then invades the orbit through the orbital apex;

②Nasopharyngeal carcinoma located on the posterior wall of the nasopharyngeal roof often invades the nasal cavity forward, then enters the pterygopalatine fossa through the sphenopalatine foramen, and then invades the interior of the orbit through the orbital apex or inferior orbital fissure;

③When cancer cells invade the back of the nasal cavity, they can easily destroy the ethmoid sinus paper template and then enter the eye socket.