Multimodal Evaluation-Guided Surveillance-Intervention With Endoscopic Selective Neck Dissection for Post-Radiotherapy N3 Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

This randomized trial evaluates a multimodal surveillance strategy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with high-risk N3 cervical lymph node involvement after radiotherapy. Patients are assigned to standard follow-up or an enhanced strategy using CEUS, imaging, and EBV DNA for risk assessment. The intervention group uses multimodal evaluation to identify high-risk patients who may undergo multidisciplinary review and selective neck dissection when indicated. The primary endpoint is failure-free survival (FFS). Secondary endpoints include OS, LRRFS, DMFS, and safety .

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Nasopharyngeal Cancinoma (NPC)
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Multimodal Evaluation-Guided Surveillance Strategy

Detailed Description

This is a multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial evaluating a multimodal evaluation-guided surveillance and intervention strategy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with high-risk N3-stage cervical lymph node involvement after radiotherapy. The study investigates whether combining contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), conventional imaging (CT/MRI), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA monitoring can improve risk stratification, early detection of residual disease, and optimize subsequent treatment decision-making.

Eligible patients will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either standard post-radiotherapy follow-up or a multimodal evaluation-guided surveillance and intervention strategy. In the control group, patients will receive standard follow-up care according to clinical guidelines. No CEUS or structured multimodal risk stratification will be applied in this group. In the intervention group, patients will undergo an enhanced follow-up strategy based on multimodal evaluation, which integrates CEUS, conventional imaging, and EBV DNA to stratify the risk of residual lymph node disease. Patients identified as high/ very high-risk may receive further multidisciplinary evaluation, and endoscopic selective neck dissection will be performed when indicated.

The primary endpoint is failure-free survival (FFS), defined as the time from randomization to the first occurrence of locoregional recurrence, distant metastasis, or death from any cause, whichever occurs first. Secondary endpoints include overall survival (OS), locoregional relapse-free survival (LRRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and treatment-related safety. Safety will be evaluated according to CTCAE version 5.0. A total of 80 patients will be enrolled across multiple centers in China.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 80
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Aged 18 to 70 years.
2. Pathologically confirmed nasopharyngeal non-keratinizing carcinoma (differentiated or undifferentiated, i.e., WHO Type II or III).
3. Tumor staged as TanyN3M0 according to the 9th Edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer/Union for International Cancer Control (AJCC/UICC) staging system.
4. ECOG performance status 0-1.
5. No previous neck dissection.
6. Adequate hematologic, hepatic, and renal function, defined as: white blood cell count ≥4.0 × 10^9/L, absolute neutrophil count ≥2.0 × 10^9/L, hemoglobin ≥90 g/L, platelet count ≥100 × 10^9/L, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase ≤2.5 × the upper limit of normal, and creatinine clearance ≥60 mL/min
7. Written informed consent provided prior to study enrollment

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Ongoing receipt of other antitumor treatment or concurrent participation in another interventional clinical trial.
2. Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
3. Severe concomitant disease that may, in the investigator's judgment, pose an unacceptable risk or compromise study compliance, including severe cardiac disease, severe pulmonary dysfunction, significant renal disease, or severe psychiatric illness.
4. History of another invasive malignancy within 5 years before enrollment, except for adequately treated basal cell carcinoma of the skin, cervical carcinoma in situ, or superficial bladder tumors (Ta, Tis, or T1).

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Multimodal Evaluation-Guided Surveillance-Intervention Strategy; Participants underwent multimodal follow-up evaluation after radiotherapy, including clinical assessment, conventional imaging, Epstein-Barr virus DNA testing, and contrast-enhanced ultrasound. Participants with suspicious residual cervical lymph nodes identified by multimodal evaluation and suitable for surgery underwent endoscopic selective neck dissection.	Procedure: Multimodal Evaluation-Guided Surveillance Strategy; Participants underwent multimodal follow-up evaluation after radiotherapy. Endoscopic selective neck dissection was performed only in participants with suspicious residual cervical lymph nodes identified by multimodal evaluation and with surgical indications.
No Intervention: Standard follow-up strategy; Patients will receive standard follow-up care according to clinical guidelines. No CEUS or structured multimodal risk stratification will be applied in this group.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Failure-free Survival	Failure-free survival (FFS) is defined as the time from randomization to the first occurrence of locoregional recurrence, distant metastasis, or death from any cause, whichever occurs first.	From randomization to disease failure, death, or last follow-up, up to 60 months.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Overall Survival	Overall survival is defined as the time from randomization to death from any cause. Participants alive at the last follow-up will be censored.	From randomization to death or last follow-up, up to 60 months
Distant Metastasis-Free Survival	Distant metastasis-free survival is defined as the time from randomization to the first occurrence of distant metastasis or death from any cause, whichever occurs first.	From randomization to distant metastasis, death, or last follow-up, up to 60 months
Locoregional Relapse-free Survival	Locoregional relapse-free survival (LRRFS) is defined as the time from randomization to the first occurrence of locoregional recurrence or death from any cause, whichever occurs first.	From randomization to locoregional recurrence, death, or last follow-up, up to 60 months.
Incidence of Acute and Late Toxicity	Incidence of acute toxicity is calculated for each adverse event respectively and severity is evaluated on basis of Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) 5.0 criteria. Late radiation toxicities were assessed using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer late radiation morbidity scoring scheme.	From randomization to locoregional recurrence, death, or last follow-up, up to 60 months.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Xuelei Ma MD
• Collaborators: Sichuan Cancer Hospital and Research Institute; Yilong County people's Hospital; West China Hospital of Stomatology; General Hospital of Western Theater Command, PLA; Yibin Second People's Hospital; Miyi County People's Hospital; Jintang First People's Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): August 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2035
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2035

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 3, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 3, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 9, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 9, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 3, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 2026 (1385)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No