Five tests should be done to prevent recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Most nasopharyngeal carcinomas can be cured through radiotherapy, but some patients still have recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy. To prevent the recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, patients should do regular checkups. So, what examinations should patients undergo?

1. Self-examination: The early symptoms of nasopharyngeal carcinoma recurrence are not obvious, so patients should pay special attention to whether they have recurrence symptoms, such as nosebleeds, bloody mucus, tinnitus, persistent headaches, diplopia, facial numbness, etc. If patients experience one or more of these symptoms, they should seek medical treatment in time.

2. Regular follow-up and nasopharyngeal endoscopy: Patients should undergo a follow-up examination every month in the first year after radiotherapy, and an electronic nasopharyngeal endoscopy every three months. Electronic nasopharyngeal endoscopy can fully understand the condition of the nasopharynx and detect recurrent lesions in the nasopharynx in time. Patients should undergo a follow-up examination every two months in the second year, and an electronic nasopharyngeal endoscopy every six months. After two years, patients can undergo a follow-up examination every six months, and an electronic nasopharyngeal endoscopy can be performed according to actual conditions.

3. Pathological tissue biopsy: If the patient suspects recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a biopsy of the nasopharynx can be taken for pathological examination. For those with clinical suspicion, if the first examination is negative, multiple biopsies should be performed.

4. CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Patients suspected of recurrence should undergo CT and MRI examinations, which can reveal whether nasopharyngeal carcinoma has recurred and the extent of recurrence. If CT and MRI examinations show no findings, the patient has not recurred.

5. EB virus antibody titer test: Since EB virus infection is closely related to nasopharyngeal carcinoma, patients should undergo relevant tests. If the EB virus antibody titer is found to be persistently strong positive after the test, the possibility of nasopharyngeal carcinoma recurrence is high.

In addition to the above examination items, each patient can also undergo corresponding examinations according to his or her own condition, such as abdominal B-ultrasound, chest X-ray, bone and joint X-ray, nasal endoscopy, etc., to further confirm whether nasopharyngeal carcinoma has distant metastasis and the range of metastasis.