Endonasal endoscopic nasopharyngectomy for nasopharyngeal malignancies: a survival analysis

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Nasopharyngeal cancer has a global incidence of less than 1.0 per 100,000 person-years. It originates from nasopharyngeal mucosa with the Fossa of Rosenmuller being the most common site. Radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy is an established first-line treatment modality given the sensitivity of the tumor. Objectives The aim of our study was to report survival outcomes amongst patients undergoing endonasal endoscopic nasopharyngectomy at a tertiary care referral center. Methods We conducted a retrospective longitudinal cohort study. We collected data on age, gender, prior treatment, histology, extent of surgery, post-operative adjuvant therapy, and recurrence and reported the survival along mean survival time using Kaplan–Meier curves and log-rank test. Results A total of six patients, three males and three females with a mean age of 43.7 years were included in our study. Of the six, three patients underwent a salvage procedure whereas three patients received upfront definitive surgical resection. Three patients developed recurrence with a mean survival time of 19.3 months. The disease-free survival at 1 and 2 years of surgery was 88.3% and 66% respectively. Conclusion Endonasal endoscopic nasopharyngectomy is an effective surgical procedure that can be undertaken for both salvage and primary cases. Our survival results are comparable to the literature.