Nasopharyngeal carcinoma natural history, complications and prognosis

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Prognosis

The five-year survival rate of nonkeratinizing and undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinomas, with appropriate treatment, is about 65% overall. Cure is highly possible, even when disease has spread to the regional lymph nodes. The prognosis of keratinizing NPC is significantly worse, due to its greater resistance to radiation.

Prognosis is influenced both by stage and tumour type.

• type I: keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma - 42% 5-year survival
• type II: non-keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma - 65% 5-year survival
• type III: undifferentiated carcinoma - 14% 5-year survival

Complications

• Airway obstruction
• Difficulty swallowing
• Disfigurement of the neck or face
• Hardening of the skin of the neck
• Loss of voice and speaking ability
• Spread of the cancer to other body areas (metastasis)