What causes nasopharyngeal cancer

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a malignant tumor and a relatively common disease in my country. However, people may not be very clear about the various causes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In order to give everyone a further understanding of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, the following will introduce in detail the various causes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

1. Causes of disease

The cause of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is unknown. It is speculated that genetic factors and traditional lifestyle habits may play an important role in the occurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Genetic factors: Based on the research on cell chromosomes and human histocompatibility antigens (HLA), the obvious ethnic clustering of nasopharyngeal carcinoma leads to the speculation that nasopharyngeal carcinoma may be a disease related to polygenic genetic factors.

Environmental factors: Environmental factors are also a cause of nasopharyngeal cancer. Eating too much salted fish, cured meats, and pickled foods containing nitrosamine compounds can induce nasopharyngeal cancer. Drinking water has high levels of nickel and lead, while zinc, copper, and cadmium are relatively low. Rice has a high nickel content, while molybdenum, chromium, lead, and cadmium are low. Changes in these trace elements may also be related to the occurrence of nasopharyngeal cancer. In Guangdong, surveys found that the content of trace element nickel in rice and water in areas with a high incidence of nasopharyngeal cancer is higher than in areas with a low incidence. The nickel content is also high in the hair of nasopharyngeal cancer patients. Animal experiments have shown that nickel can promote nitrosamine-induced nasopharyngeal cancer.

Epstein-Barr virus: Lymphoblastoid cell lines carrying Epstein-Barr virus were isolated from nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues, and Epstein-Barr virus particles were found. High titer antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus exist in nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and the titer is high in severe cases. As the disease recovers, the antibody titer decreases, indicating that Epstein-Barr virus is closely related to nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

2. Pathogenesis

Tumorigenic factors cause unlimited proliferation and malignant transformation of nasopharyngeal mucosal cells, and distant metastasis.

From the introduction above, everyone has a deeper understanding of the causes of nasopharyngeal cancer, which will be more helpful for nasopharyngeal cancer patients to take the right medicine and obtain effective treatment. It will also help people pay more attention in daily life, actively prevent nasopharyngeal cancer and maintain good health.