Introduction

Nasal and sinus cancer is cancer that affects the nasal cavity (above the roof of your mouth) and the sinuses (small, air-filled cavities inside your nose, behind your cheekbones and forehead).

Fewer than 20 new cases of nasal and sinus cancer are diagnosed in Ireland each year. This type of cancer is rare in people under 40, and men are twice as likely to be diagnosed with it than women.

The area where the nose and throat connect is called the nasopharynx. A specific type of cancer, called nasopharyngeal cancer, affects this area.

 

What is cancer?

The body is made up of millions of different types of cells. Cancer happens when some of the cells multiply in an abnormal way. When cancer affects organs and solid tissues, it causes a growth, called a tumour, to form. Cancer can occur in any part of the body where the cells multiply abnormally.



Last updated on: 17 / 02 / 2012