Surgical treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a relatively rare cancer, primarily prevalent in China and other parts of Asia. Radiotherapy is the preferred treatment for primary NPC and has proven to be highly effective. However, approximately 10% of patients experience recurrence after treatment. Surgical intervention serves as a key treatment option for locally recurrent NPC and selected primary cases, aiming to completely remove the tumor while preserving normal tissues and functions as much as possible. This review provides a comprehensive overview of surgical treatment options for NPC discussing the advantages, disadvantages, appropriate indications, and outcomes of various surgical techniques, thus offering guidance for selecting the most suitable treatment approaches.