NPC is caused by defects in either NPC1 or NPC2; whereas Tangier disease is caused by a defect in ABCA1. Tangier disease is currently without therapy, whereas NPC can be treated with miglustat, a small molecule inhibitor of glycosphingolipid biosynthesis that slows the neurological course of the disease. Here, ABCA1 is linked to nasopharyngeal carcinoma.