title: Nasopharyngectomy for recurrent nasopharyngeal cancer: a 2- to 17-year follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the 2- to 17-year outcome of nasopharyngectomy following local recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review.
  
  
  METHODS
  University medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven patients with biopsy-proven recurrent nasopharyngeal cancer followed up for a minimum of 2 years after transpalatal, transmaxillary, and/or transcervical resection with and without neck dissection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical examination, magnetic resonance imaging, chest x-ray examination, and liver function tests to determine re-recurrence; unlimited follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With a mean follow-up of 5.4 years, the crude, 5-year, overall, free-of-disease survival rate was 52%, local control at 5 years was 67%, and the 5-year actuarial survival rate was 60%. Survival by recurrent T stage (rT) was as follows: rT1, 73%; rT2, 40%; rT3, 14%; and rT4, 0%. Complications occurred in 54% and included 1 death from carotid artery injury and 1 patient with permanent pharyngeal plexus paralysis with resultant dysphagia. The remaining patients had transitory complications that spontaneously resolved, required further surgery (closure of palate fistula, debridement, and reapplication of skin graft), or required further medical therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study are better than most published reports of additional irradiation for rT1 and rT2 lesions. More recent radiation studies that use radiosurgery or implants suggest promising early results. A randomized prospective study comparing surgery with additional irradiation for recurrent disease at the primary site is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305-5328, USA. wfee@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Willard E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Fee
authors.forename: Melinda S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Moir
authors.forename: Eun Chang
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goffinet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000601:surgery*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome