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Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an uncommon malignancy of the head and neck that arises in the nasopharynx, the superior segment of the throat situated posterior to the nose and superior to the soft palate. NPC is different from other throat cancers in that it is more common in Southeast Asia, Southern China, and parts of North Africa. Genetic predisposition, environmental influences, and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection are significantly correlated with its onset.

The early signs of nasopharyngeal carcinoma are often vague, making diagnosis difficult. Some common warning signs are stuffy noses that don't go away, nosebleeds, hearing loss, ringing in the ears, headaches, and painless swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck. As the disease gets worse, patients may have numbness in their faces, trouble swallowing, or double vision because the nerves are involved.

Nasoendoscopy, biopsy of the suspicious lesion, imaging techniques like MRI or CT scans, and blood testing for EBV markers are all common ways to get a diagnosis. The stage of the cancer is the most important factor in deciding how to treat it. Radiotherapy is the primary therapeutic modality, given that NPC exhibits significant radiosensitivity. In advanced situations, chemotherapy and radiation are often used together.

The prognosis of nasopharyngeal cancer has considerably improved with early detection and adequate treatment. To deal with recurrences and problems from treatment, it is important to have regular follow-up and long-term surveillance.