Who is more likely to get nasal and sinus cancer
Anyone can get nasal and sinus cancer. It is not always clear what causes it.
You might be more likely to get it if you:
- smoke
- you have human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a common virus spread through skin to skin contact of the genital area, often during sex
- you work, or have worked, in a job where you might breathe in things like dust from wood, leather or textiles, nickel compounds or isopropyl alcohol
- you had radiotherapy in the past to treat retinoblastoma (a rare type of eye cancer that affects young children)
How to reduce your chances of getting nasal and sinus cancer
You cannot always prevent nasal and sinus cancer, but there are things you can do to lower your chance of getting it.
Do
-
wear protective masks if you work in a job where it is likely you will be breathing in things such as wood dust
-
try to quit smoking
-
use condoms when having any kind of sex, to lower your chance of getting HPV
-
protect yourself from getting HPV by getting the HPV vaccination if you can
Important
It's important to get any symptoms of nasal and sinus cancer checked by a GP.
Anyone can get nasal and sinus cancer, even if you do not think you have a higher chance of getting it.