This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Pathology

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a lymphoepithelioma comprising lymphoid elements admixed with malignant epithelial cells identical to those of a poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. The epithelial cells, not the lymphoid elements, are considered neoplastic.

Biopsy is necessary to differentiate nasopharyngeal carcinoma from other nasopharyngeal malignancies, such as:

  • lymphoma - including Burkitt's lymphoma
  • sarcoma - rhabdomyosarcoma, sarcomas from fibrous, cartilaginous, or osseous tissues surrounding the nasopharynx
  • adenocarcinoma
  • tumours from salivary tissues - such as adenoid cystic adenocarcinoma

Spread may occur:

  • directly:
    • anteriorly, i.e. nasally
    • inferiorly, i.e. pharyngeal
    • superiorly, i.e. sphenoidal
    • posteriorly, i.e. region of first cervical vertebra
    • laterally, i.e. parotid gland; IX, X, XI, XII cranial nerves
  • lymphatic - to the upper deep cervical lymph nodes
  • haematogenous - to the spinal column, lung and liver

Lymphatic spread tends to occur earliest.


Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.