Nasopharyngeal Cancer

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After Nasopharyngeal Cancer Treatment

For many people with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), treatment can remove or destroy the cancer. The end of treatment can be both stressful and exciting. People often experience a mixture of feelings including joy, concern, relief, guilt, and fear.

For others, NPC might never go away completely. Some people may get regular chemotherapy or other treatments to try and help keep the cancer in check. Learning to live with cancer that doesn't go away can be difficult and very stressful.

No matter what your situation is, there are steps you can take to live well, both physically and emotionally.

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Follow-up care after nasopharyngeal cancer

After finishing treatment for nasopharyngeal cancer, you will still see your cancer care team regularly. Your care team may want to monitor you for signs of the cancer coming back (recurrence) and treat any long-term side effects caused by your cancer or treatment.  

Ask your doctor for a survivorship care plan

Talk with your doctor about developing a survivorship care plan for you. This plan can guide your next steps after treatment, including follow-up appointments and ways to stay healthy.

Your survivorship care plan might include:

  • A suggested schedule for follow-up exams and tests
  • A schedule for other tests, such as screening for other types of cancer or monitoring for long-term health effects from your cancer or treatment
  • A list of possible late- or long-term side effects from your treatment, including what to watch for and when you should contact your health care team
  • Diet and physical activity suggestions
  • Reminders to keep your appointments with your primary care provider (PCP), who will monitor your general health care

What to expect during follow-up visits

People who have been treated for nasopharyngeal cancer are at risk of the cancer coming back (recurring) and for developing new cancers in other parts of the body. Your cancer care team will watch you closely after treatment.

You will probably have follow-up appointments for many years, and it's important to go to all of them. During these visits, your care team will ask you questions about any problems you might have. You might get exams, lab tests, or imaging tests to look for signs of cancer or treatment side effects.

It's important to report any new symptoms or problems to your health care team right away. This could help them find recurrent cancer as early as possible, when treatment is more likely to be effective.

Watching for late and long-term side effects

Almost any cancer treatment can have side effects. Some might last a few weeks or months, but others might last a long time. Some side effects might not even show up until years after you finish treatment.

Your follow-up visits are a good time to ask questions about these side effects. Talk to your cancer care team about any changes or problems you notice or concerns you have.

Exams, tests, and rehabilitation

Your cancer care team will tell you which exams and tests you’ll need and how often. They might also recommend rehabilitation (rehab) or nutritional support. This will depend on the type and initial stage of your cancer, the treatment you had, and your response to that treatment. Your follow-up care could include:

You might get CT or PET scans and other imaging tests to watch for cancer recurrence or a new tumor, especially if you have new symptoms.

Radiation for nasopharyngeal cancer could damage your thyroid gland. If you were treated with radiation, you will most likely need regular blood tests to check your thyroid function.

Radiation might also cause problems with dry mouth and tooth decay. Regular dental exams are often recommended.

Radiation and surgery for NPC can lead to problems with speech, swallowing, and hearing. These are often checked and treated by a speech therapist after treatment.

If cancer treatment affected your hearing, you might also see an audiologist (a specialist in hearing loss) for devices such as a hearing aid.

Nasopharyngeal cancer and treatment can sometimes cause problems such as trouble swallowing, dry mouth, or loss of teeth. This can make it hard to eat, which can lead to weight loss and weakness from poor nutrition.

After treatment, you might not gain weight or replace your protein stores as much as your body needs. A team of doctors and nutritionists can work with you to provide nutritional supplements and information about your individual needs. This can help you maintain your weight and nutritional intake.

Some people may need a feeding tube placed into their stomach for a short time after treatment.

Questions to ask your care team

  • What follow-up visits, exams, and tests will I need after treatment?
  • What side effects should I watch for?
  • Are there any limits on what I can do?
  • Do I need a special diet after treatment?
  • What kind of exercise should I do now?
  • How will we know if the cancer has come back? What should I watch for?
  • What will my options be if the cancer comes back?

Staying prepared and organized

Even after treatment, it’s very important to stay organized and on top of your health. Keeping your records and health insurance coverage in order makes it easier to manage your follow-up care, future checkups, and any new concerns that may come up.

Keep your health insurance

It’s very important to keep health insurance as a nasopharyngeal cancer survivor. Insurance can help cover the cost of follow-up visits, tests, and any care you may need in the future. No one wants to think about their cancer coming back, but it’s best to be prepared.

Save your medical records

At some point, you might find yourself seeing a new doctor who doesn’t know your cancer history. Keep copies of your medical records so you can easily share the details of your diagnosis and treatment.

Can I lower my risk of NPC progressing or coming back?

You might want to know if there are things you can do to lower your risk of nasopharyngeal cancer growing or coming back, such as exercising, eating a certain type of diet, or taking nutritional supplements.

Quitting smoking

If you smoke, quitting smoking for good is the best way to improve your chances for survival.

Smoking during cancer treatment can reduce the benefit of treatment and increase the risk of cancer coming back. Smoking after treatment can also increase the risk of getting a new smoking-related cancer.

It is never too late to quit. If you need help quitting smoking, talk to your health care team or call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345.

Avoiding alcohol intake

Heavy drinking of alcohol has been associated with NPC, especially in areas at low risk of this type of cancer. Avoiding alcohol after treatment for NPC might help lower your risk of the cancer recurring, but more studies are needed to know for sure. However, we do know that avoiding alcohol can have positive effects on overall health.

Adopting other healthy behaviors

Adopting other healthy behaviors, such as eating well and staying at a healthy weight, might help lower the risk of recurrence, but no one knows for sure. However, we do know that these types of changes can have other health benefits.

About dietary supplements

So far, no dietary supplements have been shown to clearly help lower the risk of nasopharyngeal cancer progressing or coming back. That includes vitamins, minerals, and herbal products. This doesn’t mean that no supplements will help, but it’s important to know that none have been proven to do so.

In the United States, dietary supplements aren’t regulated like medicines. They do not have to be proven effective (or even safe) before being sold, although there are limits on what they’re allowed to claim they can do.

Talk to your health care team before taking any type of nutritional supplement. They can help you decide which ones are safe and which ones might be harmful.

If the cancer comes back

If your nasopharyngeal cancer does recur at some point, your treatment options will depend on where the cancer is located, what treatments you’ve had before, and your current health.

See Understanding Recurrence to learn more.

Could I get a second cancer after treatment?

Some cancer survivors develop a new, unrelated cancer later. This is called a second cancer.

People who’ve had nasopharyngeal cancer can get any type of second cancer, but NPC survivors have an increased risk of:

Getting emotional support

After cancer treatment, it’s normal to experience a mixture of feelings.

Some people say they appreciate life more after a cancer diagnosis and gain a greater acceptance of themselves. Some people become very anxious about their health and uncertain about coping with everyday life. These emotions might still happen as time passes. Some amount of feeling depressed, anxious, or worried is normal, but these emotions should not be a constant part of your daily life. If they are, it’s important to get support.

Some people are affected more than others, but everyone can benefit from help and support, whether this is from friends and family, religious groups, support groups, professional counselors, or others. Learn more in Life After Cancer.

Getting financial support

Cancer treatment can be expensive. It may be a source of stress and anxiety for you and your family.

In addition to treatment costs, many people find they have extra, unplanned expenses related to their care. The high cost of medical care stops some people from following or completing their cancer treatment plan. This can put your health at risk and may lead to higher costs in the future.

If you have financial concerns, talk with a member of your health care team or reach out to the American Cancer Society to learn about support resources in your community.

The National Cancer Information Center is available 24/7 at 1-800-227-2345.

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Developed by the American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

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Lee HF, Lan JH, Chao PJ, et al. Radiation-induced secondary malignancies for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a pilot study of patients treated via IMRT or VMAT. Cancer Manag Res. 2018;10:131-141.

National Cancer Institute. Nasopharyngeal Cancer Treatment (Adult) (PDQ)–Health Professional Version. May 14, 2025.  Accessed at www.cancer.gov/types/head-and-neck/hp/adult/nasopharyngeal-treatment-pdq on January 28, 2026.

Rock CL, Thomson C, Gansler T, et al. American Cancer Society guideline for diet and physical activity for cancer prevention. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2020;70(4). doi:10.3322/caac.21591. Accessed at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.3322/caac.21591 on May 9, 2022.

Last Revised: March 3, 2026

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