ENT Doctor Claims Nose Cancer Is Most Commonly Found Among Malaysian Chinese
The report comes following recent news on Datuk Lee Chong Wei's nose cancer diagnosis.
By Tamara Jayne — 24 Sep 2018, 05:31 PM
Recent reports on national badminton player Datuk Lee Chong Wei, who was diagnosed with early stage nose cancer, came as a shock to many Malaysians
In light of this news, Bernama interviewed a Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist, Dr. Rekha Balachandran, who said that a type of nose cancer called Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) is most commonly found among Malaysian Chinese
During the interview today, 24 September, Dr. Rekha said that Malaysian Chinese are usually the most common patients for this type of cancer, followed by the Malay and Indian communities.
She added that a high percentage of NPC has also been recorded in Bidayuhs from Sarawak.
A major cause for the cancer often comes from frequently eating preserved food
"Heredity, lifestyle, and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections are factors which cause the cancer. Having a close family member with NPC increases the risk of the disease, and frequent consumption of preserved food such as salted vegetables and dried fish also contributes to it," said the Ipoh Pantai Hospital Head and Neck Surgeon, according to the report.
NPC is a type of cancer that starts in the nasopharynx, which is the upper part of the throat behind the nose and near the base of a skull
According to Dr. Rekha, the first symptom is often a painless swelling or lump in the upper neck. If you notice that the lump has been there for more than three weeks, you are advised to consult the doctors.
A second symptom is nose bleeding.
"Sometimes when they blow the nose continuously, it will start to bleed. Nasal blockage or stuffiness and reduced hearing, especially on one side only, are the symptoms too," she said.
However, the surgeon added that NPC can be treated if detected at an early stage.
Although it is difficult to completely prevent the disease, practising a healthy lifestyle will help reduce its risk
NPC can be difficult to detect early because symptoms are hard to spot as they are painless.
"Maybe patients with the symptoms won't go to a doctor because they think it is not anything dangerous, and also because the tumour grows in places we can't see, it is very easy to miss it," she said.
"The five-year survival rate can be quite high," said Dr. Rekha, adding that the survival rate is 80 to 85 per cent for those diagnosed with the first two stages of NPC cancer.
According to the specialist, she had personally seen some patients with NPC survive more than five years – sometimes even up to 10 or 20 years, as long as it is detected before the tumour spreads too much.
"Reducing or eliminating some types of food may lower the NPC risk. Diet should be balanced, eat more fresh greens and fruits, and avoid preserved foods," the doctor advised.