What are the symptoms of mid- to late-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma and how long can one live?

What are the symptoms of mid- to late-stage nasopharyngeal cancer? How long can you live?

1. When nasopharyngeal carcinoma develops to the middle or late stage, the patient's vision will generally be affected to a certain extent, and the most common symptoms are exophthalmos and impaired vision. Exophthalmos caused by nasopharyngeal carcinoma metastases to the eye socket may not be accompanied by symptoms of cranial nerve damage.

2. A mass can often be felt in the orbit on the nasal side. Exophthalmos can be caused by nasopharyngeal carcinoma invading the ethmoid sinus and breaking into the orbit, or by the intracranial cavernous sinus invading the superior orbital fissure and invading the orbit. Symptoms of the anterior cranial nerves appear first and then exophthalmos. Tumor invasion of the carotid canal, or metastasis of the parapharyngeal lymph nodes involving the cervical sympathetic nerves, can cause constriction of the pupil, enophthalmos, constriction of the palpebral fissure, and anhidrosis of the facial skin on the same side.

3. When nasopharyngeal carcinoma progresses to the middle and late stages, the patient's brain will also be invaded, showing more symptoms. For example: Invasion of the superior orbital fissure: oculomotor nerve III--the eyeball is in a fixed state except for being able to move outward and downward. Trochlear nerve IV-obstruction of the eyeball's outward and downward movement. Trigeminal nerve V-sensory disorders of the upper eyelid, forehead, and eyeball. Abducens nerve VI-diplopia, oblique eye movement disorders. Invasion of the foramen ovale, foramen rotundum, and slope: mandibular branch: sensory disorders in front of the ear, temporal, cheek, and tongue. Motor branch: the lower jaw deviates to the affected side when the mouth is opened, and the masseter muscle atrophies and becomes weak. Facial nerve VII-disappearance of forehead wrinkles, incomplete eye closure, shallow nasolabial groove, and crooked lower lip. Auditory nerve VIII--neurological deafness, dizziness.