3D conformal radiotherapy in primary nasopharyngeal cancer: effectiveness and prognostic factors.

To assess the efficacy and safety of using 3D conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) to treat nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) in a Caucasian cohort and evaluate factors with prognostic value. Between September 2001 and November 2012, 44 NPC patients with a mean age of 57 years underwent 3DCRT at the University Hospital of Ioannina. Nineteen patients (43%) presented with WHO type 1 and 2 histology. Thirty two patients (73%) had advanced-stage disease (stage III/IV). Thirty-one patients (70%) received chemotherapy. The mean total radiotherapy dose prescribed to the planning target volume (PTV) was 67.2 Gy. The daily dose was 1.8 Gy. With a median follow up of 43 months (range 8.4-125), the 4-year local relapse-free (LRFS), nodal relapse-free (NRFS), distant metastases-free survival (DMFS), disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were 90, 87, 91, 80 and 82%, respectively. Histology was a significant prognostic factor concerning overall survival, with worst prognosis in patients with WHO type 1/2 compared to type 3. Age <70 years, absence of retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis, complete response after treatment and the completion of ≥4 cycles of concurrent weekly cisplatin favored overall survival. Fifteen patients (34%) developed grade 3 late side effects (xerostomia: 6, soft tissue fibrosis: 6, hearing loss: 2, brachial plexus neuralgia: 1). 3DCRT in our Caucasian cohort, characterized by predominantly advanced-stage disease, combined with chemotherapy, is an effective treatment modality approach in patients with NPC with excellent tolerance.

Citation

Evangelia Peponi, Kleoniki Katinioti, Ifigeneia Tasiou, Antonio Capizzello, Georgios Tzallas, Georgios Siontis, Evangelia Pitouli, Periklis Tsekeris. 3D conformal radiotherapy in primary nasopharyngeal cancer: effectiveness and prognostic factors. Journal of B.U.ON. : official journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology. 2015 Mar-Apr;20(2):514-20

Mesh Tags

PMID: 26011344

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