Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a rare malignancy arising from the epithelium of the nasopharynx. It is unique within the context of head and neck tumours as its deep location of origin gives rise to a wide range of possible clinical presentations, making early diagnosis a distinct challenge. It is, by definition, a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the nasopharynx, further classified as keratinizing, non-keratinizing and basaloid types. However, its unique biology, as well as its complex association with a variety of environmental, viral and genetic factors, makes the diagnosis and management of this cancer different to all other head and neck tumours. In this chapter, we aim to outline these features of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, as well as go in-depth on the typical and atypical presentations of this condition, its epidemiology, as well as a look into a challenging presentation of NPC.