A Genetic Epidemiological Study of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignant tumor arising from the\nepithelial lining of the nasopharynx. It is rare in most parts of the world, but\nmuch more common in South East Asia, North Africa and in the Arctic\nCircle of North America. Among individuals less than 65 years of age, it is\nthe third most prevalent cancer type in Hong Kong, and the second most\nprevalent in Singapore Chinese. Since the disease mostly affects males in\ntheir 40s, the occurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma has a strong\nsocial impact in endemic areas.\nNPC is a complex disease with both environmental and genetic factors\nplaying a role in its development. Suggested risk factors include tobacco,\nsalted fish, domestic fumes, occupational dust and heat, herbal medicine,\nEpstein-Barr virus (EBV) activation, and a familial history of NPC. In this\nthesis, environmental and genetic factors in the etiology of\nnasopharyngeal carcinoma are addressed.