Introduction In this study, we investigated the risk factors for thrombocytopenia in patients undergoing radical chemoradiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods We retrospectively analyzed clinical data and laboratory indicators of 318 patients initially diagnosed with NPC who received radical chemoradiotherapy at our institution between January 2013 and May 2024. The patients were stratified into three groups based on the severity of post-chemoradiotherapy thrombocytopenia. Clinical parameters and laboratory indices were then systematically compared among these groups. Results Platelet counts before and after chemoradiotherapy differed significantly (Z = −15.421; p 0.001). No significant differences were observed among the groups in age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, alcohol consumption, or T, N, and M stages (all, p 0.05). However, smoking status differed significantly ( p 0.001). Logistic regression identified smoking (odds ration OR = 3.393; 95% confidence interval CI, 1.88–6.123; p 0.001) and preoperative platelet count (OR = 0.993; 95% CI, 0.989–0.997; p 0.001) as independent risk factors for post-chemoradiotherapy thrombocytopenia. Conclusion Smoking and low baseline platelet counts were independent risk factors for thrombocytopenia following radical chemoradiotherapy in patients with NPC. Therefore, dynamic monitoring of platelet levels in smokers and in those with low preoperative counts is crucial throughout treatment.
Huang et al. (Mon,) studied this question.