Why are patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma prone to nasopharyngeal infection

With the continuous development of industrialization and the worsening of air pollution, the incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is also increasing. Currently, the preferred treatment method is radiotherapy, but during radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, some side effects often occur, such as stomatitis, otitis media, sinusitis and other nasopharyngeal infections, which make patients suffer and even terminate treatment. So, why do nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients have nasopharyngeal infections?

1. Anatomical characteristics of the nasopharynx: The nasopharynx is connected to the mouth, nose, ears, and eyes at the same time. Its anatomical structure is relatively special. Once an infection occurs, it will spread everywhere and the consequences will be serious.

2. Damage to the mucosa: When patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma undergo radiotherapy, radiation can cause damage to the nasopharyngeal cavity and nasopharyngeal mucosa. Some radiotherapy methods may even irradiate the entire nasal cavity, causing great damage to the nasal mucosa.

3. Changes in pH value: Radiotherapy can cause damage to the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and ears, resulting in loss of normal secretion and cleaning functions, causing the local pH value to become acidic, which provides good conditions for fungal reproduction and can easily cause nasopharyngeal infection.

4. Weak aseptic concept: If patients do not pay attention to personal hygiene and establish a strict aseptic concept during treatment, it is easy for dust and germs in the air to be inhaled into the nasopharynx, causing infection. In the process of medical care, the aseptic awareness is weak: the sterilization of the items is not strict, the hands are not washed before and after the operation, the patients wander around the ward, and the visitors cannot be controlled, so that the oral secretions and sputum of the carriers contaminate the ward environment, and the number of suspended pathogens in the air increases. Dust and bacteria enter the nasopharynx with the air.

5. Long-term use of antibiotics: Long-term use of antibiotics can weaken the body's immunity and easily cause bacterial and viral infections.