Ear Nose Throat J. 2005 Jul;84(7):404-5.
FIRST PARAGRAPH: The most common type of nasopharyngeal tumor is a carcinoma. The etiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is multifactorial; race, genetics, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, and the environment all play a role. NPC is rare in white populations, but it is one of the most common cancers among Chinese. EBV is almost always present in NPC, indicating that this virus plays an oncogenic role. The viral titer can be used to monitor therapy or possibly as a diagnostic tool in the evaluation of patients who present with a metastasis from an unknown primary. Exposure to environmental carcinogens, especially high levels of volatile nitrosamines (specifically, those in Cantonese-style salted fish), has been implicated in this complicated disorder; carcinogens related to smoking, formaldehyde exposure, and radiation have also been implicated.
PubMed ID: 16813025
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