Getting diagnosed
It can be hard for GPs to decide who may have cancer and who might have a more minor condition. For some symptoms, your doctor may ask you to wait to see if the symptoms get better or respond to treatment, such as antibiotics.
Your GP might arrange for you to have some tests first. This will help them decide if you need to see a specialist.
There are guidelines for GPs to help them decide who needs a referral. These vary slightly between the different UK nations. Your GP will use these guidelines as well as their own experience and judgement.
GPs in England and Wales follow the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. NICE don’t have specific guidelines for nasal and paranasal sinus cancer. Specialists in Northern Ireland are updating their head and neck guidelines. We will add these when they are available.
These Scottish guidelines apply to general head and neck cancer symptoms not just nasal and paranasal sinus cancer.
You should have an emergency (same day) referral if you have symptoms caused by a blockage or narrowing of the airway. This includes noisy breathing ().
You should have an urgent referral to a specialist if you have any of the following symptoms that last for 3 weeks or more and cannot be explained:
you are aged 35 or over and have a hoarse voice that is constant and does not improve
you have one-sided throat pain that is there all the time
you have pain when swallowing
you have red or red and white patches in your mouth
you have a swelling, hardening, thickening, or ulcer (break in the skin) on your lips or inside your mouth
you have a lump in the head or neck area
Your GP will consider any other symptoms that you are having, so do mention these. They might also take into account whether you have any risk factors that affect your chances of developing nasal and paranasal sinus cancer.
Go to the risk and causes of nasal and paranasal sinus cancer
Sometimes you might feel that your GP is not concerned enough about your symptoms. If you think they should be more concerned, print this page and the symptoms page. Ask your GP to explain why they don’t think you need a referral.
Contact your GP again if your symptoms don't get better or you notice any new or unusual symptoms.
If your GP has referred you, ask them when you should get your appointment. Contact them again if you don’t get one. Or some hospitals have a referral service you could try contacting if you know which hospital you are going to. Explain that you are waiting for an urgent suspected cancer referral.
Go to more information about an urgent referral, what to expect and questions to ask
Your hospital is working towards waiting time targets. For example, a target to find out whether you have cancer or not. And there are targets to start treatment if you are diagnosed with cancer. These are slightly different depending on where you live in the UK.
Last reviewed: 18 Dec 2023
Next review due: 18 Dec 2026
You should see your doctor if you notice a change that isn't normal for you. Or if you have any of the possible signs and symptoms of cancer.
You might have one or more tests to diagnose nasal and paranasal sinus cancer.
Screening means testing people for early stages of a disease. This is before they have any symptoms. There is no national screening programme for nasal and paranasal sinus cancer in the UK.
Cancer can start in the lining of the space behind the nose (nasal cavity) or the nearby air cavities (paranasal sinuses) and sometimes spread to lymph nodes and rarely other parts of the body.
Nasal and paranasal sinus cancer can cause symptoms such as nose and eye problems, as well as other symptoms such as a lump or a growth.
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