Nasopharyngeal carcinoma – problems and solutions

The aim: to highlight nasopharyngeal carcinoma (CN) as a medico-social and clinical problem, solutions. Materials and methods: the study included current bibliographic studies and their analysis, 26 CN patients, with a mean age of 46.5±0.5 years. Patients were evaluated clinically, paraclinically, CT scans, MRI, PET, laboratory investigations, histopathological analyses. Results. CN patients were 7 women (26.9%), 19 (73.7%) men with an average age of 46.5 years. 26 (100%) were examined clinically and paraclinically, CT – 25(96.1%), MRI – 26 (100%), PET – 22(84.6%), which demonstrated radiological and imaging changes characteristic of CN . Metastases were confirmed in 18 patients (69.2%). Histopathology analyzes – G1 – 5(19.3%), G2 – 15(57.7%), G3 – 6(23.0%), keratinized type 7 (26.9%) and non-keratinized – 19 (73.1%) . Epstein Barr virus was positive in 13 (50%) patients. Conclusions. The following risk factors were identified in the 26 patients with CN - excessive consumption of food preserved with salt - 24 (92.3%), smoking - 6 (23%), Epstein Barr virus (EBV) - 12 (46.1 %). CN development also depends on genetic factors and latent membrane proteins and other molecules – tumor antigens. Advanced imaging technologies such as MRI and PET-CT can improve the early detection of CN. Also, the development of specific biomarkers for CN could allow early diagnosis through blood or saliva tests. Better access to these technologies in resource-limited regions could have a significant impact on patient outcomes.