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Nasopharyngeal Cancer, Childhood |
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Cancer of the Nose and Throat Cancers that start in the lining of the nasal cavity and throat are called nasopharyngeal cancers. The incidence of this tumor is approximately 1 in 100,000 persons younger than 20 years in the United States. Nasopharyngeal cancer occurs in association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, the virus associated with infectious mononucleosis. This cancer most frequently spreads to lymph nodes in the neck, which may alert the patient, parent, or physician to the presence of this tumor. The tumor may spread to the nose, mouth, and pharynx, causing snoring, nosebleeds, obstruction of the Eustachian tubes, or hearing loss. It may invade the base of the skull, causing cranial nerve palsy or difficulty with movements of the jaw (trismus). The cancer may spread to distant sites such as the bones, lungs, and liver. Treatment combines the use of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Nasopharyngeal cancer generally has spread to bones of the skull and to lymph nodes in the neck at the time of diagnosis; thus, the principal role of surgery is to obtain adequate diagnostic material from a biopsy of the involved lymph node or the primary site. Studies show that combining chemotherapy with radiation therapy is the most effective treatment for this tumor.
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