title: Cancer of the nasopharynx.
abstract: Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is quite rare throughout Europe, accounting for an annual incidence rate below 1 per 100.000, whereas the highest risk area is South East Asia. A predominant occurrence in males is to be noted. NPC is an etiologically multifactorial disease, most probably involving viral, genetic and environmental factors. Carcinomas of the nasopharynx can be divided into two major histotypes: keratinizing squamous cell carcinomas (WHO-type 1) and non-keratinizing carcinomas (WHO-type 2). The histological type is a prognostic factor and it has a clear impact on the outcome of treatment. Standard therapeutic option for early stages of NPC is radiation, while an integration of radiation therapy and chemotherapy is indicated in more advanced stages.
authors.affiliation: START Project and Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, Italy. start@istitutotumori.mi.it
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Licitra
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bernier
authors.forename: Esteban
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cvitkovic
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grandi
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spinazzé
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bruzzi
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gatta
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Molinari
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis