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