[Comment for the Chinese 2008 staging system for nasopharyngeal carcinoma].
The advantages of the Chinese 2008 staging system for nasopharyngeal carcinoma included as follows: 1.Application of MRI as the major staging means; discard of the subjective factors. 2.Adoption of some new independent predictor such as metastatic retropharyngeal lymph nodes and RTOG cervical levels. 3.Simplification of the T category. 4.Categorization of N and clinical substage can distinct the risk of distant metastasis and overall survival. All these changes adapted to the modern diagnosis and treatment pattern with a higher degree of practicality. Therefore, developing a prospective, multicenter clinical verification of the existing standards, thereby correcting itself, fulfill the developmental and scientific principles. It may improve as follows: 1.The definition of anatomical structure is restrictive such as nasal cavity and oropharynx, and the expression of masticator space is not intuitive. 2.Proof of evidence-based medicine for the size of lymph nodes included in the N category is insufficient. 3.The risk of local recurrence between the subgroups of T category was not significant. 4.Different definition of the index such as oropharynx and cervical level between the sixth edition UICC / AJCC staging system and the current system will hinder the international exchange of experience and information.
State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, P. R. China.
Ying
Y
Sun
Jun
J
Ma
D002681:China; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D010614:Pharynx