Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a review of its causes and its diagnosis in skeletal material

Abstract

Abstract Smoky fires in small, poorly ventilated structures have been cited as a risk factor for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) since the 1920s (Dobson, 1924 ). Furthermore, based on five cited cases of ancient NPC, it has been proposed that NPC was a common condition with a wide geographical distribution in ancient populations (Wells, 1964a , b ). Both interpretations have continued to appear in the literature (Ortner, 2003 ), but recently, Aufderheide & Rodríguez‐Martín ( 1998 ) have argued that the number of cases of NPC is inflated due to ‘diagnostic imprecision’. This paper reviews medical advances that in the last few decades have shed considerable light on risk factors for NPC, and also reviews criteria for diagnosing NPC. Based on these data, a reexamination of the five cited cases of ancient NPC suggests that only one case may be NPC, and the prevalence and distribution of this disease may have been more variable than originally thought. Furthermore, a better understanding of the aetiology of NPC and criteria for diagnosis may allow for more precise research designs for studying ancient populations. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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