ENT Insights and Blogs

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most common head and neck cancers in Chinese men in Southeast Asia. Haemoptysis — coughing up blood — can be the first and only symptom of NPC, and is frequently misattributed to the lungs or throat. The nasopharynx cannot be seen without specialist equipment — a normal GP or general examination does not exclude a nasopharyngeal tumour EBV (Epstein-Barr virus) blood titres are a key diagnostic and monitoring tool in NPC.

Head and neck cancer encompasses malignancies of the throat, voice box, mouth, nose, salivary glands, and neck lymph nodes. In Singapore, nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is particularly prevalent, especially in men of Chinese ethnicity. Key warning signs include a persistent neck lump, hoarseness lasting more than 3 weeks, a mouth ulcer that won't heal, and one-sided nasal or ear symptoms. Treatment combines surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy depending on cancer type and sta