Radiation therapy is the most common treatment for cancer of the nasopharynx.
External radiation to the thyroid or the pituitary gland may change the way the thyroid gland works. A doctor may wish to test the thyroid gland before and after therapy to make sure it is working properly. Surgery is sometimes used for cancer of the nasopharynx that does not respond to radiation. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle.