Endoscopic Transoropharyngeal Retropharyngeal Lymph Node (RPLN) Dissection for RPLN Recurrence Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND

Retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) dissection is difficult and lacks an ideal approach. We aimed to examine the efficacy of endoscopic transoropharyngeal RPLN dissection for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with RPLN recurrence.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

From January 2022 to July 2023, 25 patients with RPLN recurrence NPC were enrolled in the study. Clinical characteristics, complications, and survival outcomes were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

The average surgical time and blood loss were 215±107 min (range 100-470 min) and 27.8 ± 18.4 mL (range 2-80 mL). With a median follow-up time of 20 months (95% CI 15.3-24.7), the 2-year overall survival, locoregional relapse-free survival, RPLN relapse-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, and progression-free survival were 91.5%, 91.7%, 100%, 90.9%, and 83.3%, respectively. Only three patients suffered mild (grade 1) long-term morbidities.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic transoropharyngeal RPLN dissection was minimally invasive and demonstrated satisfactory tumor control with acceptable morbidities in treating patients with RPLN recurrence of NPC.