About Sinus and Nasal Cancer

Nasal and sinus cancer are rare diseases, which is why they’re often initially confused with more common sinus issues, such as a sinus infection. If you’re experiencing unpleasant or uncomfortable symptoms in or behind the nasal cavity (especially for an extended period of time), it’s paramount you see a doctor right away since early detection can make sinus cancer far more treatable, considering the various forms of innovative therapy. 

Where is Sinus Cancer located?

Sinus cancer cells manifest as tumors in the nasal cavity, particularly the maxillary sinus. These nasal cavity tumors will typically form in one of two places:

1. The area around the nose where mucus is produced
2. The space behind the nose allowing air to pass through the nasal passages and into the lungs 

How Do Nasal Cavity Tumors Impact your Body?

In the initial stages, tumors form in the nasal passages. Once the nasal polyps have grown large enough, the cancer can spread to local tissue regions of the head and throat. Left unchecked, the cluster of nasal cavity cancer cells will eventually move to further regions of the body.  

Are There Different Types of Nasal and Sinus Cancer? 

Nasal cavity and paranasal sinus cancer are the two primary types of cancer that will form in the head and neck. The cancerous cells tend to be characterized as either:

• Squamous cell carcinoma 
• Mucosa cell carcinoma 

Sinus Cancer Statistics

This is a very uncommon form of cancer. Each year, only 2,000 people are diagnosed with a nasal cavity or paranasal sinus cancer in the United States. 

It becomes more common as people age, with 80% of those diagnosed with either squamous cell or mucosa cell carcinoma being above the age of 50. 

Causes and Risk Factors

The specific cause of sinus or nasal cancer are unknown. However, we do know that there are risk factors involved, including:

• Workplace exposure – Certain lines of work yield further risk, particularly if they involve small particulates that linger in the air and invade the nose, such as:
• • Wood dust
  • Textile dust
  • Leather dust
  • Flour
  • Nickel and chromium dust
  • Mustard gas
  • Radium
  • Glues
  • Solvents
  • Formaldehyde
• Smoking 
• HPV
• Hereditary retinoblastoma treatment

Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging 

Signs and Symptoms of Sinus Cancer

Symptoms of sinus cancer will typically manifest on one side. Common symptoms of the impacted patient include:

• Bulging in one eye
• Constant watering eyes
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Growth of the nose, face, or palate
• Headache
• Hearing loss
• Lingering nasal congestion
• Loss of smell
• Nosebleeds
• Numbness or pain in the face
• Pain above or below the eyes
• Pain or pressure in an ear
• Post-nasal drip
• Pus draining out the nose
• Teeth loosening or going numb
• Trouble opening mouth

The Different Stages of Sinus Cancer

Sinus cancer will go through several stages ranging from 0 to IV. These are:

• Stage 0 – Primary sinus tumor is only on the top tissue layer of cells that line the maxillary sinus, and haven’t grown deeper. There are no cancerous cells in the lymph nodes or distant regions of the body. The sinus tumor at this stage is minimally invasive and localized.
• Stage I – Primary tumor grows deeper, but only into the mucosa—the skin lining the sinus cavity—and has not penetrated the bone. Cancer is neither in the lymph nodes, nor the distant parts of the body. 
• Stage II – The tumor has begun to penetrate the bone of the sinus, but not the bones in the back part. Cancer still has not yet spread elsewhere, particularly the lymph nodes. 
• Stage III – The tumor has reached the posterior wall—the bones at the back of the sinus cavity—or the ethmoid sinus tissue, or the eye socket. Cancer may have spread to a single lymph node.
• Stage IV – The tumor is growing into the regions around the nasal cavity, including the cheek, eye socket, and top of the nose. Cancer may have spread to multiple lymph nodes or other regions of the body. 

Alternative / Natural Treatment of this Cancer

Unlike traditional treatment methods such as induction chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or invasive surgery, alternative treatments are more effective since they focus on boosting your immune system to help your body build back healthy tissue and fight cancer naturally.

At ITC, our mission is to provide patients with a precise mix of natural and effective alternative cancer treatment options. Since every patient’s health and history is different, we tailor each treatment program to the individual. We want to optimize the treatment for your specific condition. Doctors meets with our patients daily to discuss and adjust treatment plans according to your body’s response.  

Together, we can fight your sinus cancer. If you are searching for a cancer center, give us a call and let us walk you through our cancer care and various alternative sinus cancer treatment options. We want to join you in this fight, empowering your body to do what it knows to do naturally; heal. 

Sources:

• Cancert.net. Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinus Cancer: Statistics. https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/nasal-cavity-and-paranasal-sinus-cancer/statistics
• Cancer.org. Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinus Cancer. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/nasal-cavity-and-paranasal-sinus-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging.html
• WebMD. Sinus and Nasal Cavity Cancer. https://www.webmd.com/cancer/sinus-nasal-cavity-cancer#1

Medically Reviewed by:Dr. Bautista

November 21, 2019

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Dr. Carlos Bautista is a Board Certified Medical Doctor. He received his Medical Degree from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California and has more than 30 years of experience working with Alternative Medicine to treat cancer, autoimmune diseases, chronic degenerative diseases, and infectious diseases. He opened Immunity Therapy Center in 2007 with the goal of providing the highest quality medical care for more than 5,000 patients.

At Immunity Therapy Center, our goal is to provide objective, updated, and research-based information on all health-related topics. This article is based on scientific research and/or other scientific articles. All information has been fact-checked and reviewed by Dr. Carlos Bautista, a Board Certified Medical Doctor at Immunity Therapy Center. All information published on the site must undergo an extensive review process to ensure accuracy. This article contains trusted sources with all references hyperlinked for the reader's visibility.