Five-Year Survival and Median Survival Time of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the fourth most common cancer in Malaysia. The objective of this study was to determine the five-year survival rate and median survival time of NPC patients in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Methods: One hundred and thirty four NPC cases confirmed by histopathology in Hospital USM between $1^{st}$ January 1998 and $31^{st}$ December 2007 that fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria were retrospectively reviewed. Survival time of NPC patients were estimated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Log-rank tests were performed to compare survival of cases among presenting symptoms, WHO type, TNM classification and treatment modalities. Results: The overall five-year survival rate of NPC patients was 38.0% (95% confidence interval (CI): 29.1, 46.9). The overall median survival time of NPC patients was 31.30 months (95%CI: 23.76, 38.84). The significant factors that altered the survival rate and time were age (p=0.041), cranial nerve involvement (p=0.012), stage (p=0.002), metastases (p=0.008) and treatment (p<0.001). Conclusion: The median survival of NPC patients is significantly longer for age ${\leq}50$ years, no cranial nerve involvement, and early stage and is dependent on treatment modalities.