Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most prevalent head and neck malignancies in southern China. It is characterized by high aggressiveness, a propensity for recurrence and distant metastasis. Characteristically, 85 % of patients present with cervical lymphadenopathy at diagnosis [1–3]. According to the 8th edition of the International Lymph Node Consensus Guidelines, the parotid lymph node (PLN) is categorized under cervical lymph node group VIII. It primarily drains the parotid gland …