With external radiation, a machine is used to send targeted radiation to the cancer site. A mesh mask is used on the patenting order to keep their head and neck still while the machine rotates to send out beams of radiation. In undergoing this kind of treatment, healthy cells may also be damaged during the process. Therefore, there are 2 other forms of radiation therapy that decreases the likelihood of damaging nearby healthy cells: intensity-modulated radiation therapy and stereotactic radiation therapy. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) uses 3D images of the size and shape of the tumor to then direct thin beams of radiation at different intensities from multiple angles. In stereotactic radiation therapy, radiation is aimed directly at the tumor. in this therapy, the total amount of radiation is divided into smaller does that will be given over the course of several days.Using radiation therapy as a cancer treatment method depends on the type and stage of cancer, however, internal and external radiation therapies can be used to treat NPC. If external radiation therapies are being aimed at the thyroid, then this could affect the way the thyroid works. For that reason, blood tests are done before and after radiation to check thyroid hormone levels. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy works as cancer treatment by using drugs that stop the growth of cancer cells, by either killing the cells or preventing them from dividing. This kind of therapy can be administered systemically or regionally.
Diagnosis
Classification
The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified three subtypes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma:
type 1: squamous cell carcinoma, typically found in older adults
type 2: non-keratinizing carcinoma
type 3: undifferentiated carcinomaType 3 is most commonly found among younger children and adolescents, with a few type 2 cases. Both type 2 and 3 have been found to be associated with elevated levels of Epstein-Barr virus titers, but not type 1. Additionally, type 2 and type 3 may be followed with an influx of inflammatory cells, including lymphocytes, plasma cells, and eosinophils, generating the term lymphoepithelioma.Nasopharyngeal carcinoma, also known as nasopharyngeal cancer, is classified as a malignant neoplasm, or cancer, arising from the mucosal epithelium of the nasopharynx, most often within the lateral nasopharyngeal recess or fossa of Rosenmüller (a recess behind the entrance of the eustachian tube opening). The World Health Organization classifies nasopharyngeal carcinoma in three types, in order of frequency: Non-keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma; keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma; and basaloid squamous cell carcinoma. The tumor must show evidence of squamous differentiation, with the non-keratinizing type (also known as lymphoepithelioma) the tumor most strongly associated with Epstein–Barr virus infection of the cancerous cells. Staging
Staging of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is based on clinical and radiologic examination. Most patients present with Stage III or IV disease. Stage I is a small tumor confined to nasopharynx. Stage II is a tumor extending in the local area, or that with any evidence of limited neck (nodal) disease. Stage III is a large tumor with or without neck disease, or a tumor with bilateral neck disease.