Prior cancer history predicts the worse survival of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Purpose Previous cancers can be observed in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, whether prior cancer diagnosis affects survival outcomes remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the impact of prior cancer on the survival of patients with NPC. Methods We retrospectively collected data from 666 NPC patients between 2006 and 2018. The patients in this study were divided into those without prior cancer, with prior head and neck cancer, and prior non-head and neck cancer. The demographic data and survival of these groups were then analyzed. The independent prognostic factors for NPC were determined using multivariate Cox regression analysis. Results We identified 25 NPC patients with prior cancer in our case series, most of whom had a history of colorectal cancer. Patients with a history of cancer were older than those without a history of cancer ( p = 0.001). In the subgroup analysis stratified by the timing of prior cancer, NPC patients with prior non-head and neck cancer within 24, 36, 60, and 120 months showed worse survival than patients without prior cancer (all p