Nasal and Paranasal
What Is It?
Your nostrils open into the nasal cavity. The nasal cavity warms and moistens the air and we breathe and helps filter out harmful bacteria. It runs back from the nostrils, above the roof of your mouth and curves down to connect with your mouth at the back of your throat. Because the nasal cavity is close to your eyes, ears and mouth, cancer in this area can sometimes cause pressure and pain in these structures. This could affect your vision and ability to open your mouth. Cancer in the nasal cavity can also affect your sense of smell.Paranasal means around or near your nose. Sinuses are spaces or small tunnels. There are several pairs of sinuses and cancer can develop in any of them.
Like other parts of the body, the head and neck contains lymph nodes (also called lymph glands). Lymph nodes are often the first place cancer cells spread to when they break away from a tumour. There are major groups of lymph nodes in the neck. Nasal and paranasal sinus cancers can spread to these nodes but this only happens in about 15% of people diagnosed.
Symptoms
Common symptoms are:Mucus coming from the nose
Mucus draining into the back of your nose and throat
Nosebleeds are also a common symptom.
Bulging of one eye
Complete or partial loss of sight
Double vision
Pain above or below the eye
A watery eye with tears running down the cheek
A lump or growth anywhere on the face, nose or roof of the mouth that does not go away
Pain or numbness in parts of your face, particularly the upper cheek, that doesn’t go away
Loose teeth
Difficulty opening your mouth
Enlarged lymph nodes in your neck
Pain or pressure in one of your ears