NPC most often affects people between the ages of 30 and 50 and occurs twice as often in men than in women. Other risk factors include:
Diet: Diets high in salt-cured fish and meat may contribute to cancer of the nasopharynx. Foods preserved in salt that are cooked at high temperatures may undergo changes that produce chemicals capable of damaging DNA, the genetic material in the body's cells.
Epstein-Barr virus: In most cases, infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is mild or can cause infectious mononucleosis. Research has also found a complex link between this virus and NPC. Scientists believe that in rare instances, pieces of viral DNA become mixed together with the DNA of cells in the nasopharynx. The Epstein-Barr virus DNA causes the cells of the nasopharynx to divide and grow abnormally. It is not likely that EBV infection alone causes NPC, since this cancer is rare and EBV infection is common in most parts of the world.
Genetic factors: Recent studies have found that people with certain inherited tissue types (genetic make-up) are at increased risk of developing NPC.
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