According to the Singapore Cancer Registry’s 2020 report, it is the second most common cancer for men aged 40 to 49, and the third most common cancer for men aged 30 to 39. It is the ninth most frequent cause of male cancer deaths.
Besides having a higher incidence among men, nose cancer has a genetic predisposition to the southern Chinese ethnicity, said Dr Eu.
According to the Singapore Cancer Society, nose cancer is also associated with the consumption of salted soy beans, vegetables, fish and meat. The cooking of these preserved foods release fumes that contain nitrosamines, which are considered carcinogenic.
SYMPTOMS AND DETECTION
In the early stages, nose cancer may have no to minimal symptoms, said Dr Tan Chee Seng, senior medical oncologist at OncoCare Cancer Centre.
Early signs include nose bleeding, headaches, the sensation of blocked ears, nasal blockages and blood-stained phlegm.
As the disease progresses, patients may experience neck lumps and double vision. In more advanced stages, the cancer may spread to the bones and lungs, causing pain and breathing difficulty.
“The difficulty with nose cancer is that it is particularly silent in its onset,” said Dr Eu, pointing out how Mr Liang, the MP, had the “fairly innocuous” symptom of muffled hearing.