Today, Sivanesan Vijaya Mohan (Institute for Medical Research, Kuala Lumpur) talks about nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), otherwise known as ‘nose cancer’, and the methods he and his colleagues are using to come up with novel and non-invasive ways of detecting nose cancer in the earlier stages of cancer development.

While the sinuses, nasal cavity and throat are normally functioning in humans to allow air to enter the lungs, nose cancers are essentially abnormal growths that can obstruct breathing, and even affect brain function and eyesight if very severe. Most techniques to detect NPCs involve expensive equipment or intrusive techniques that may be uncomfortable for patients, so it is through a technique called ‘nasal washing’ that Siva tries to understand whether there are biomarkers that are traceable through cheaper, more accessible means.

We also talk about the public health and environmental situation in Malaysia, and what factors in Malaysian settings can increase the risk of nose cancer and negative effects of the related Epstein-Barr virus.

Learn more about Siva’s research by clicking ‘Play’ on the episode below. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, or find us on Spotify, Stitcher, iTunes or anywhere else you typically find podcasts!

Show notes

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