What are the causes of nasopharyngeal cancer?

What are the causes of nasopharyngeal cancer?

There are many factors that cause nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Years of clinical observation and experimental research have shown that the following factors are closely related to the occurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

1. Genetic factors: Many NPC patients have a family history of cancer. NPC has a vertical and horizontal family tendency. NPC is mainly seen in the yellow race and rarely in the white race. The ethnic groups with a high incidence rate migrate to other places or live abroad, and the incidence rate of their offspring is still high.

2. Viral infection: Immunological and biochemical studies have confirmed that Epstein-Barr virus is closely related to nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The dynamic changes and monitoring of Epstein-Barr virus antibody titers can be used as indicators for clinical diagnosis, prognosis estimation and follow-up monitoring. In addition to viruses such as coronaviruses, Epstein-Barr virus is also believed to be involved in the occurrence and development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

3. Environmental factors: It is reported that the mortality rate of nasopharyngeal cancer in Chinese immigrants abroad gradually decreases with the increase of genetic generations. On the contrary, the risk of nasopharyngeal cancer in white people born in Southeast Asia increases. Environmental factors may play an important role in the development of nasopharyngeal cancer.

4. Others: Epidemiological surveys have found that salted fish is the first food that infants in high-incidence areas of Guangdong Province are exposed to after weaning. Dried fish and Guangdong bacon are also related to the incidence of nasopharyngeal cancer. These foods contain nitrite, a precursor of nitrosamines, during the pickling process. Some trace elements, such as nickel, may also induce nasopharyngeal cancer if their content in the environment is too high.