title: Efficacy of neck dissection for locoregional failures versus isolated nodal failures in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neck dissection has been shown to be effective in controlling nodal failures in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Its efficacy in controlling the disease in patients with synchronous locoregional failure is, however, not documented.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of all patients who underwent neck dissection for nodal failures with or without treated local failure within 6 months was conducted for this study. The survivals of these 2 groups of patients were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 5-year overall survival of the whole cohort was 58%. There was no difference in 5-year disease specific survival (68% vs 40%; p = .121) and 5-year progression free survival (44% vs 36%; p = .334) when comparing patients with isolated nodal failures and synchronous locoregional failures. Multivariate analysis showed that only the initial N classification affects survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neck dissection is efficacious in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma with nodal failure, with or without synchronous local failures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. rkytsang@hku.hk
authors.forename: Raymond King Yin
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Joseph Chun Kit
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Yiu Wing
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Victor Shing Howe
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: To
authors.forename: Ambrose Chung Wai
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Jimmy Yu Wai
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Wai Kuen
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: William Ignace
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001918:Brachytherapy; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000601:surgery; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016879:Salvage Therapy