{ "abstract": "Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a distinct head and neck malignancy characterized by marked geographic and ethnic variability, with most studies originating from endemic Asian regions. However, the disease also occurs in non-endemic populations, where prognostic factors and treatment outcomes may differ. This study aimed to evaluate overall survival (OS) in a European multi-institutional cohort of patients with NPC and to assess the impact of disease stage and chemotherapy exposure on survival outcomes. A retrospective multicenter study was conducted including patients diagnosed with NPC in six oncology centers across Romania, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Eligible patients had histologically confirmed NPC and a minimum follow-up of five years. Clinical, demographic, staging, and treatment data were collected from medical records. OS was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors. A total of 416 patients were included, with a mean age of 48.2 years and a predominance of males (68%). Most patients presented with advanced-stage disease (83.7%). Concurrent chemotherapy was administered in 73.3% of cases. Median survival was 204 months in patients receiving chemotherapy and 187 months in those without chemotherapy, with no significant difference between groups (p = 0.85). Chemotherapy exposure was not independently associated with OS in multivariable analysis. Increasing age was identified as an independent prognostic factor associated with higher mortality risk (HR 1.03 per year, p < 0.001). In this European multicenter cohort, OS in NPC patients was primarily influenced by age, as demonstrated by independent multivariable Cox regression (HR 1.03 per year, p < 0.001), while concurrent chemotherapy was not independently associated with improved survival. Disease stage was used as a stratification variable in the multivariable model to account for non-proportional hazards; accordingly, no hazard ratio for stage is estimated. Kaplan-Meier analysis suggested higher survival probabilities in early-stage disease, though this difference did not reach statistical significance (log-rank p = 0.099). Further prospective studies are needed to clarify the role of systemic therapy in non-endemic populations.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "Department of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.", "Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj Napoca, Romania.", "Faculty of Medicine, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.", "Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Treviso, Italy.", "Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Trieste, Italy.", "Unit of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Italy.", "Unit of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Italy.", "Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences, and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Brescia, Italy.", "Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust.", "Department of Oncology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust.", "Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Donostia University Hospital (San Sebastián - Spain), Deusto University - Faculty of Medicine, Bilbao, Spain.", "Department of ENT Surgery, Guy's and St Thomas University Hospital, London, UK.", "Department of Periodontology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca Romania.", "Department M2-Complementary Functional Sciences, Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Târgu Mureș, Romania.", "Department of Surgical Oncology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania." ], "article_type": "research article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 19, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Irina Maria Pușcaș" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Anda Gâta" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Radu Alexandru Ilieș" }, { "affs": [ 3, 4 ], "name": "Paolo Boscolo Rizzo" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "Marco Stellin" }, { "affs": [ 5 ], "name": "Vittorio Rampinelli" }, { "affs": [ 6 ], "name": "Davide Tomasini" }, { "affs": [ 7 ], "name": "Cesare Piazza" }, { "affs": [ 8 ], "name": "Daniele Borsetto" }, { "affs": [ 9 ], "name": "Will Ince" }, { "affs": [ 10 ], "name": "Carlos M Chiesa-Estomba" }, { "affs": [ 10 ], "name": "Maria Landa-Garmendia" }, { "affs": [ 11 ], "name": "Pavol Surda" }, { "affs": [ 11 ], "name": "Eleanor Crossley" }, { "affs": [ 12 ], "name": "Alexandra Roman" }, { "affs": [ 13 ], "name": "Andrei Constantin Ioanovici" }, { "affs": [ 14 ], "name": "Vlad Alexandru Gâta" }, { "affs": [ 14 ], "name": "Alexandru Irimie" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Silviu Albu" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9q2pgx4navj11.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.15386/mpr-2999", "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13743149", "id": "9q2pgx4navj11", "issns": [ "2602-0807", "2668-0572" ], "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42997855", "language": "eng", "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND", "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND", "licence_source": "article", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "openalex", "2733|Head and Neck Cancer Studies" ] ], "openalex": "W7167069035", "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13743149?pdf=render", "pmcid": "PMC13743149", "pmid": "42997855", "published": "2026-10-31", "publisher": null, "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9q2pgx4navj11.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-11-09T15:20:34Z", "native_id": "MED:42997855", "source": "europepmc", "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42997855" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "medicine", "origin": "openalex:2733|Head and Neck Cancer Studies", "subfield": "general" } ], "title": "Survival determinants and treatment patterns in a European multi-center cohort of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.", "title_text": "Survival determinants and treatment patterns in a European multi-center cohort of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-11-10T03:20:49Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9q2pgx4navj11", "venue": "Medicine and pharmacy reports", "versions": [] }