Nasopharyngeal carcinoma with metastasis to the central nervous system: a report of two patients and review of the literature

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a particularly prevalent carcinoma in southern China. Central nervous system (CNS) metastasis is an infrequent lesion of NPC, although direct intracranial invasion is not uncommon with locally advanced stage. The pathway of CNS metastasis is postulated to be either through hematogenous route or cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) spread. Even though application of surgical management and radiotherapy may contribute to improved survival and neurologic function of some patients, the overall survival in these patients remains poor.