However, many nasopharyngeal cancers that are diagnosed and treated early have a favorable prognosis.
Generally, treatment options are the same regardless of the subtype of nasopharyngeal cancer, according toStatPearls.
How Is Nasopharyngeal Cancer Diagnosed?
A hearing test is also sometimes ordered, notesCleveland Clinic.
Staging cancer can help doctors recommend appropriate treatment options and give an accurate prognosis.
The National Cancer Institute says nasopharyngeal cancer is given a stage from 0 to 4.
The higher the number, the more advanced the cancer.
For example, a stage 4 diagnosis means the cancer may have spread to distant areas of the body.
TNM stands for tumor (T), node (N), and metastasis (M).
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy involves using beams of high energy to kill cancer cells.
With this punch in, radioactive seeds or wires are placed in or near the tumor internally.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a treatment that uses medicines to destroy cancer cells in the body.
The drugs can be given through a vein in the arm or taken in pill form.
Chemoradiation
When chemotherapy and radiation are used in combination, its called chemoradiation.
Surgery
Generally, surgery isnt considered a go-to treatment for people with nasopharyngeal cancer.
However, in certain cases, some tumors can be removed surgically.
Additionally, doctors may perform surgery to take out affected lymph nodes in the neck.
Targeted Therapies
Targeted drugs work by zeroing in on specific proteins that control how cancer cells grow.
TheAmerican Cancer Societysays that some people with nasopharyngeal cancer may benefit from an injection of the targeted therapy cetuximab.
Targeted treatments are commonly combined with chemo and radiation.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy uses the bodys own immune system to attack cancer cells.
Some people with nasopharyngeal cancer opt to participate in clinical trials to get access to a novel therapy.
Her goal is to compose helpful articles that readers can easily understand and use to improve their well-being.
She is passionate about healthy living and delivering important medical information through her writing.
Prior to her freelance career, Marks was a supervising producer of medical programming for Ivanhoe Broadcast News.
She is a Telly award winner and Freddie award finalist.
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