Etiology of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and Nutrition

Salted fish (in the presence of nitrites and nitrates from rough salt) is a proven risk-factor in the etiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is endemic in Southern China and Southeast Asia, where salted fish is a common food. The current work points at another food that is common in Southeast Asia, which could be another risk factor for NPC. This food comes under the guise of different names in the many Southeast Asian countries. It is ‘belacan' in Malaysia and ‘terasi' in Indonesia, which is salted dried shrimp paste. One objective of the paper is to point to some shortcomings in recommendations placed online for the general public (by a very respectable body like the Mayo Clinic). Logic and basic science principles are used to arrive at the deductions. It is proposed that if clean salt with no nitrites and nitrates is used, salted fish may be safe to consume. From previous research, consumption of salted fish traditionally preserved, with vitamin C, could also be safe if no other carcinogens are present. It is noted that the Epstein-Barr virus needs to be present for NPC to be initiated. A presentation for proposed research in a new area related to NPC is outlined.