The prognostic implications of radiologic extranodal extension in the lymph nodes of patients with nasopharyngeal cancer

<b>Objective:</b> This study was developed to explore the prognostic relevance of radiologic extranodal extension (rENE) in lymph node-positive nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients.<b>Materials and methods:</b> A retrospective review of data from 249 eligible patients with NPC was performed, with magnetic resonance imaging scans being used for rENE grading. The prognostic value of rENE was assessed through univariate and multivariate analyses.<b>Results:</b> Log-rank tests revealed significant differences between patients with and without rENE in terms of overall survival, progression-free survival (PFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). G2 and G3 patients tended to exhibit worse PFS and DMFS relative to G0/G1 patients (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Long-term chemotherapy cycles were associated with significant improvements in the PFS and DMFS of G2 and G3 patients.<b>Conclusion:</b> These results suggest that higher rENE grades (G2/G3) are independently associated with worse survival outcomes among NPC patients, with more aggressive treatment strategies potentially affording greater prognostic benefits to these individuals.