How effective is chemotherapy for nasopharyngeal cancer?

Nasopharyngeal cancer starts behind the nose, where the upper throat meets the nasal passages. Chemotherapy may be given before radiotherapy to reduce the tumour, during radiotherapy to make radiation more effective, or after other treatment. If cancer has spread or returned, medicines may be used to slow it and relieve symptoms.

The team considers the tumour's extent, nearby lymph nodes, spread to other organs, hearing and kidney function, nutrition, and previous treatment. Examinations, scans, blood tests, and symptom changes help show whether treatment is working.

Tell the team about hearing changes, ringing in the ears, swallowing difficulty, mouth soreness, dental problems, weight loss, and medicines you take. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can both affect the mouth, throat, appetite, hearing, and energy, so early support can make eating and drinking easier.

Use mouth-care and nausea medicines as prescribed. Keep planned blood tests and attend appointments with the oncology, radiotherapy, nutrition, or speech and swallowing teams when offered. Ask for help if pain or swallowing problems limit fluids or food.

Contact your cancer team promptly for fever or chills, new breathing difficulty, repeated vomiting, inability to swallow fluids, dehydration, uncontrolled bleeding, or rapidly worsening swelling in the face or neck. Seek emergency care for severe breathing difficulty, confusion, fainting, or chest pain.

Treatment can lower infection-fighting cells and irritate tissues in the mouth and throat. A symptom that prevents breathing, drinking, or safe swallowing should not wait for a routine visit.

Is chemotherapy planned before, during, or after radiotherapy? What is the aim of my treatment? How will scans and examinations assess response? Could treatment affect my hearing, kidneys, swallowing, or nutrition? Which symptoms need same-day advice?