Objective: To analyze the feature of cranial nerve involvement in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its relationship with the prognosis.
Method: A total of 1892 patients who were diagnosed as NPC in our hospital from January 2002 to December 2003, of which the cranial nerve involvement was 183 (9.6%) patients, were analyzed the effect of cranial nerve involvement on the prognosis.
Result: The percentage of cranial nerve involvement was 9.4%. The 5 year overall survival rate was 61.0%, disease free survival rate was 55.3%, local relapse free survival rate was 75.2% and distant metastasis free survival rate was 73.4%. Periods of cranial nerve involvement, clinical stage, the diameter of the lymph nodes, involvement of cavernous sinus, and the level of the recovery of cranial nerve involvement were significantly associated with prognosis in univariate analysis(P < 0.05). With multivariate analysis, the recovery level of cranial nerve involvement was the independent factor that affected the 5-year overall survival (RR = 2.087). The diameter of the lymph nodes and involvement of cavernous sinus were the independent factors that affected the 5-year distant metastasis-free survival (RR = 1.954 and 2.136, respectively).
Conclusion: Periods of cranial nerve involvement and the level of the recovery of cranial nerve involvement were significantly correlated with prognosis. Involvement of cavernous sinus could increase the rate of distant metastasis.