Retrospective study of selective neck dissection versus radical neck dissection as salvage therapy for patients with recurrent nasopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: While salvage surgery has been shown to improve the survival of patients with recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma, it is not known whether selective neck dissection has a beneficial or harmful effect on the survival of patients compared with modified neck dissection. The present study was aimed to compare the outcomes among patients receiving either selective neck dissection or modified neck dissection as salvage therapy for recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the present retrospective study, a total of 67 patients with recurrent nasopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma were included. 23 patients received selective neck dissection and 44 patients received modified neck dissection. The clinical parameters and Kaplan-Meier 1-, 3-, 5-year overall survivals were compared for the two groups. RESULTS: The clinical parameters were comparable between the two groups. The 1-, 3-, 5-year survivals were 91.3%, 62.0% and 55.1% respectively for selective neck dissection and 93.1%, 82.5% and 77.9% respectively for modified neck dissection. Patients receiving modified neck dissection had a significant better overall survival than patients receiving selective neck dissection (χ(2) = 4.079, P = 0.043). CONCLUSION: Although selective neck dissection was associated with fewer complications, it was associated with poor over all survival compared with modified neck dissection. Further prospective, large-scale and long-term study is needed to confirm this conclusion.