The patient with nasopharyngeal cancer has undergone 33 rounds of radiotherapy and 4 rounds of chemotherapy. The latest assessment results are now available

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) often presents with no symptoms or mild symptoms in its early stages, which are easily overlooked by patients. Over 70% of patients seek medical attention due to enlarged cervical lymph nodes or obvious symptoms (such as Mr. Zhao who only went to the hospital after noticing the enlargement of his neck), by which time the disease has progressed to an advanced stage, missing the opportunity for early diagnosis and treatment.

The pathological types of NPC mainly include keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma and non-keratinizing carcinoma. Keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma, also known as squamous cell carcinoma (this type is more common), is further subdivided into well-differentiated, moderately differentiated, and poorly differentiated subtypes. Non-keratinizing carcinoma, also known as lymphoepithelial carcinoma in some cases, can be divided into differentiated types (including spindle cell non-keratinizing carcinoma) and undifferentiated types (also known as nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma).

As a disease sensitive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, radiation therapy is the primary treatment for NPC patients. Radical intensity-modulated radiation therapy has enabled the 5-year survival rate for patients with early-stage NPC to reach 87%-96%. Radiotherapy or comprehensive treatment based on radiotherapy is the preferred choice for NPC. The optimal treatment for patients with advanced NPC is still unclear, and the overall prognosis is poor. Systemic therapy is the gold standard for NPC treatment, but surgical treatment is more suitable for patients with isolated or unilateral cervical metastasis.

1. The patient completed conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but non-keratinizing undifferentiated carcinoma has a high malignant degree and a high risk of recurrence and metastasis. Some undetected tumor cells may metastasize through blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, making early detection difficult.

2. Nasopharyngeal cancer often metastasizes to cervical lymph nodes through lymphatic vessels and to lungs and bones through blood vessels. NKT cell therapy has a strong protective effect on lymph nodes and organs with rich blood supply.

3. NKT therapy utilizes powerful immune cells to eliminate tumor cells that may remain undetected in the body, with essentially no side effects, making it very patient-friendly. After completing radical radiotherapy, combining it with NKT cells can effectively reduce the risk of metastatic recurrence.