ICD-11

A wide variety of tumours can arise in the nasopharynx, but it is nasopharyngeal carcinoma that has fascinated generations of oncologists, pathologists, scientists and epidemiologists. It shows marked geographic differences, with highest incidence rates in Southern China. In some endemic areas, the incidence has declined by about 30% over the years 2000-2020, suggesting that environmental or lifestyle factors may play a major role and that the disease is, to some extent, preventable. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma shows a very strong association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, irrespective of the ethnic origin of the patients. This association has pioneered a new paradigm of utilizing viral serological tests for the diagnosis of cancer and for screening in high-risk populations. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is generally responsive to radiation therapy, and the clinical outcome has greatly improved over the years, due to refinements in staging and to improved therapy protocols. The unusual and often deceptive histological features of nasopharyngeal carcinoma have generated controversies over the nature of the tumour and still pose a challenge to surgical pathologists. There have possibly been more names invented for the various histological subtypes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma than any other tumour type.