Results of radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal cancer. A retrospective comparison of split-course and continuous-course treatment schedules.
A retrospective comparison was made between split-course and continuous-course telecobalt therapy in 107 cases of nasopharyngeal cancer. During 10 years' follow-up the recurrence rates in nasopharynx and base of skull were much higher in the split group than in the continuous one. Both 5-year and 10-year survival rates were considerably lower in the split-group than in the continuous group. When the material was broken down into different clinical stages, the inferiority of the split-course schedule was even more conspicuous. Further analysis of the split group suggested that patients with intervals longer than 22 days and with 2 treatment intervals fared worst. Some theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
Mingchen
Z
Z
Department of Oncology, Dalian Medical College Hospital, China.
D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies