Impact of CT-scan on evaluation of tumor spread in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Abstract

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma, the most common neoplasm to arise in the nasopharynx, is a locally aggressive tumor with a high incidence of cervical nodal metastases. This study aimed to investigate the role of computed tomography in the evaluation of tumor stage (T stage) and nodal stage (N stage) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods: CT scans of 338 newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients were reviewed. All patients were restaged according to the 8th edition of the Union for International Cancer Control/ American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system relies on evaluation of the primary tumor (T category), the draining nodal groups (N category). Results: The 338 patients included in this analysis comprised 92 men and 246 women with a median age at diagnosis of 49 years (range, 10-89 years). WHO histopathologic type of non-ker?tinizing undifferentiated c?rcinom? was accounted 281/338 (83.1%), non-ker?tinizing differenti?ted c?rcinom? was 15.1%, and keratinizing squ?mous cell c?rcinom? was 1.8%. With CT scan staging, the proportions of T1, T2, T3 and T4 were 8.9% (30/338), 17.7% (60/338), 32.8% (111/338) and 40.5% (137/338), respectively; the proportions of N0, N1, N2 and N3 were 12.7% (43/338), 31.9% (108/338), 45.0% (152/338), and 10.4% (35/338), respectively. Conclusion: Computed tomography is essential for detection of early NPC, staging of the primary tumor, and evaluation of associated local lymphadenopathy.