ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the indications and results of the surgical salvage in the treatment of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma at the primary site. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Twelve patients with biopsy-proven recurrent nasopharyngeal cancer were managed with the subtemporal-preauricular and facial translocation approaches. One patient was staged as having recurrent T stage (rT1) 1 disease; 3 patients, rT2; 2 patients, rT3; and 6 patients rT4. RESULTS: With a mean follow-up of 3 years, the 3-year actuarial survival rate was 42%. Survival for recurrent T stage was as follows: rT1, 100%; rT2, 67%; rT3, 50%; rT4, 17%. Survival rates for patiens with rT3 and rT4 disease without intracranial disease are 40%. CONCLUSIONS: Facial translocation and subtemporal-preauricular approaches are versatile surgical techniques for radical resection of nasopharyngeal recurrences with an acceptable morbidity. The long term survival results are encouraging for rT1-rT3 tumors and also for rT4 without intracranial extension of the disease.
