Saba Spotlights the Nuances of Treating Nasopharyngeal Cancer

Welcome to OncLive On Air^TM! I’m your host today, [Gina Mauro]. 

OncLive On Air^TM is a podcast from OncLive, which provides oncology professionals with the resources and information they need to provide the best patient care. In both digital and print formats, OncLive covers every angle of oncology practice, from new technology to treatment advances to important regulatory decisions. 

Today, we had the pleasure of speaking with Nabil Saba, MD, FACP, director of the Head and Neck Medical Oncology Program, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, professor and vice chair for Quality and Safety, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, and adjunct professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine. Saba covered a wealth of information about nasopharyngeal cancer. 

The rare cancer occurs in the upper part of the throat and behind the nose, and commonly starts in the squamous cells that line the nasopharynx. The malignancy, which falls under the umbrella of head and squamous cell carcinomas, is said to have a number of risk factors, such as: Chinese or Asian ancestry, exposure to Epstein-Barr virus, and high alcohol consumption. 

While the malignancy has an encouraging survival rate, it is necessary to be aware of the difficulties of nasopharyngeal cancer. This is due to the intricacies surrounding radiation therapy, concurrent systemic treatment, and the potential for surgical intervention are essential to improving the chances of successful outcomes. 

In our exclusive interview, Saba shared the ins and outs of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and the complexities of managing the rare disease.