Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignant tumor that occurs in the nasopharynx and mainly originates from the mucosal epithelium of the nasopharynx. There is a certain relationship between the high incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Guangdong and Guangxi and dietary habits. The following are some popular science information about nasopharyngeal carcinoma:
Population distribution
of nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Geographical clustering: The incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma was higher in China and Southeast Asian countries, followed by North Africa, and lower in Europe, America and Oceania. In China, the morbidity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma has obvious regional differences, showing a trend of high in the south and low in the north, with the highest incidence in six southern provinces (Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hainan, Hunan), especially in Guangdong Province, so nasopharyngeal carcinoma is called “Guangdong tumor”.
1. Dietary habits and risk
of nasopharyngeal carcinoma High intake of salted fish and preserved vegetables and low intake of fresh fruits and vegetables are associated with an increased risk of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC),
according to the MedSci. CN. The study showed that individuals who ate the highest quartile of “plant foods” in adulthood had a 52% lower risk of NPC, while patients in the highest quartile of “meat foods” had a more than twofold increased risk of NPC. In addition, high intake of “pickled foods” was associated with increased NPC risk in both adolescence and adulthood.
2. Geographical and genetic factors
The climate in
Guangdong and Guangxi is hot and humid, and the air humidity is high, which is conducive to the spread and survival of the virus. The occurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is closely related to Epstein-Barr virus infection, so people in Guangdong and Guangxi are more likely to be infected with Epstein-Barr virus, thus increasing the risk of morbidity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. At the same time, nasopharyngeal carcinoma has a certain degree of familial aggregation, and the proportion of families with a history of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Guangdong and Guangxi is higher, which makes people in Guangdong and Guangxi more likely to suffer from nasopharyngeal carcinoma genetically.
3. Pathogenic factors
of nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Genetic susceptibility: including familial aggregation and susceptibility genes.
Epstein-Barr virus infection: Epstein-Barr virus exists in a large number of tumor cells in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, which has obvious carcinogenic effect.
Environmental factors: Residents in the high incidence area like to eat salted fish, preserved meat and other pickled foods containing nitrite.
The occurrence
of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a multi-factor and multi-step process. The main pathogenic factors include genetic susceptibility, Epstein-Barr virus infection, dietary habits and environmental factors. Early studies have shown that the occurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is closely related to long-term intake of salted fish. Besides salted fish, it also includes other pickled foods such as pickles, bacon and so on. Because these pickled foods contain high nitrite, they can be converted into nitrosamine under specific conditions, which belongs to class I carcinogens.
4. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma and trace elements:
The content of trace element nickel in rice and water in the high incidence area
of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is higher, and the content of nickel in the hair of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients is also higher, and nickel sulfate can induce nasopharyngeal carcinoma in animals, which indicates that trace element nickel has a certain effect on the morbidity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
5. Clinical signs
of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Early nasopharyngeal carcinoma may be asymptomatic or mild symptoms, which are easily ignored by patients.
More than 70% of the patients came to see the doctor with cervical lymph node enlargement or obvious symptoms, and were in the late stage of the disease.
Common symptoms include nasal congestion with nosebleeds, bloody saliva, and hearing loss.
6. Diagnosis
of nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Nasopharyngeal endoscopy and biopsy: The lesion is examined by nasopharyngoscopy or endoscopy and biopsied.
Tumor staging was assessed by
imaging studies, including CT, MRI, and PET scans.
7. Treatment
of nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Radiotherapy: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is very sensitive to radiotherapy, and radiotherapy is the first choice for its radical treatment. Early nasopharyngeal carcinoma can be cured by radiotherapy alone, while advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma usually requires a comprehensive treatment mode of radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is a systemic chemotherapeutic treatment that kills cancer cells mainly through chemicals. According to the different sequential methods of radiotherapy, it can be divided into induction chemotherapy, concurrent chemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy.
Targeted therapy: With the addition of chemotherapy, targeted therapy and other comprehensive treatment modes, the overall efficacy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, especially in terms of local control rate, has been greatly improved.
Prognosis
of nasopharyngeal carcinoma Patients with
early NPC usually have a good prognosis (5-year survival rate of 60 to 75%), while patients with stage IV NPC have a poor prognosis (5-year survival rate of < 40%).
To sum up, the high incidence of NPC in Guangdong and Guangxi is related to many factors, including the distribution characteristics of NPC patients, the causes of morbidity, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, dietary habits, geographical environment, genetic factors and Epstein-Barr virus infection. In order to prevent nasopharyngeal carcinoma, it is suggested to maintain good living habits, quit smoking and limit alcohol, avoid overwork, pay attention to dietary hygiene, reduce the intake of carcinogenic foods such as pickling and barbecue, and conduct regular physical examination, especially nasopharyngeal examination. It is hoped that this information will help the public to better understand nasopharyngeal carcinoma, so as to achieve active prevention, early diagnosis and early treatment.
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
