Nasal Cancer

Nasal and paranasal tumors are abnormal growths that begin in and around the passageway between your nose and mouth (nasal cavity). Nasal tumors begin in the nasal cavity. The nasal cavity is the passageway just behind your nose. Air passes through it on the way to your throat as you breathe. Paranasal tumors begin in air-filled chambers around the nose called the paranasal sinuses. They are lined with cells that make mucus, which keeps your nose from drying out. Several types of nasal and paranasal tumors exist, and they can be noncancerous (benign) or they can be cancerous (malignant).

Cancers of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses are rare, with about 2,000 people in the United States developing these cancers each year. These tumors are more common as people age, with about 4 out of 5 cases occurring in people who are at least 55 years old. Men are more likely than women to get nasal or paranasal cancers. These cancers also occur more often in certain areas of the world such as Japan and South Africa than in the United States. Exposure to certain chemicals, infections with human papilloma virus, and smoking increase the risk of nasal and paranasal cancer.

People with nasal cancer may not symptoms at first, and later symptoms can be like those of infections. Treatment options for nasal and paranasal cancers include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

The exact cause of nasal and paranasal cancers is not known. In general, cancer begins when a series of genetic mutations occur within a cell, causing the cell to grow and multiply out of control. It is not clear what causes the initial genetic mutations that lead to nasal cancers, though researchers believe that some risk factors, such as workplace exposure to certain chemicals or substances, may cause these cancers by damaging the DNA of cells that line the inside of the nose and sinuses. Some people may also inherit DNA mutations (changes) from a parent that increase their risk for developing certain cancers. However, inherited changes in genes are not believed to cause very many cancers of the nasal cavity or paranasal sinuses.

See your doctor for persistent nasal congestion or blockage on one side, frequent nosebleeds, facial pain or numbness, or a lump that does not heal. Have symptoms that last more than a couple of weeks checked.