Relapse status as a prognostic factor in patients receiving salvage surgery for recurrent or residual nasopharyngeal cancer after definitive treatment.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the prognostic value of relapse status (recurrent vs residual disease) in patients receiving surgical salvage for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: Retrospective review was conducted on 52 patients who underwent salvage surgery for locoregional relapse of NPC. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to investigate the prognostic value of relapse status. RESULTS: Median follow-up duration was 44.4 months. Mean overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) for patients with NPC with residual and recurrent disease after surgical salvage were 107.4 and 54.4 months, and 83.6 and 34.6 months, respectively (p < .001). This improved survival was demonstrated regardless whether the relapse was at the primary or nodal site. Multivariate analysis revealed that recurrent disease status and nodal disease relapse were independent poor prognostic factors for survival in patients receiving salvage surgery for NPC. CONCLUSION: In patients undergoing surgical salvage for NPC relapse, residual disease carries a better prognosis than recurrent disease. (c) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: 1393-1400, 2016.