Symptoms of nasopharyngeal cancer

Nasopharyngeal cancer may not cause any signs or symptoms in its early stages. Signs and symptoms often appear as the tumour grows into surrounding tissues and organs or spreads to lymph nodes in the neck. The symptoms of nasopharyngeal cancer usually appear on the same side of the body as the tumour. Other health conditions can cause the same symptoms as nasopharyngeal cancer.

The most common symptom of nasopharyngeal cancer is a painless lump in the neck. Other signs and symptoms of nasopharyngeal cancer include:

  • nosebleeds or bloody discharge from the nose
  • a stuffy or blocked nose
  • pain or a feeling of fullness in one ear
  • constant infections in one ear
  • ringing in the ear
  • hearing difficulties or hearing loss
  • a sore throat that doesn’t go away
  • weight loss
  • facial numbness or pain or paralysis of the face
  • frequent headaches
  • difficulty opening the jaw (called trismus)
  • blurred or double vision

Expert review and references

  • American Cancer Society . Nasopharyngeal Cancer . 2015 : https://www.cancer.org/.
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology . Nasopharyngeal Cancer . 2016 .
  • Hu K, Chan A, Costantino P, Harrison L . Cancer of the nasopharynx: General principles and management. Harrison LB, Sessions RB, Kies MS (eds.). Head and Neck Cancer: A Multidisciplinary Approach. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2014: 22A: 588 - 617.
  • National Cancer Institute . Nasopharyngeal Cancer Treatment (PDQ®) Health Professional Version . 2015 : https://www.cancer.gov/.
  • Ng WT, Ngan RKC, Chan SH, et al . Management of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Bernier J (ed.). Head and Neck Cancer: Multimodality Management. Springer; 2016: 26: 445 - 473.

Medical disclaimer

The information that the Canadian Cancer Society provides does not replace your relationship with your doctor. The information is for your general use, so be sure to talk to a qualified healthcare professional before making medical decisions or if you have questions about your health.

We do our best to make sure that the information we provide is accurate and reliable but cannot guarantee that it is error-free or complete.

The Canadian Cancer Society is not responsible for the quality of the information or services provided by other organizations and mentioned on cancer.ca, nor do we endorse any service, product, treatment or therapy.


1-888-939-3333 | cancer.ca | © 2024 Canadian Cancer Society