title: Carcinoma of the nasopharynx in Northern Israel: epidemiology and treatment results.
abstract: Between 1968 and 1984, 49 patients with carcinoma of the nasopharynx were treated at the Northern Israel Oncology Center. There were 6 stage I-II patients (12%) and 43 stage III-IV patients (88%). According to ethnic origin, there were 27 (55%) non-Ashkenazi Jews, 9 (18%) Ashkenazi Jews, and 13 (27%) Arabs. This distribution is different from the percentages of these ethnic groups in Northern Israel. All patients received combined cobalt 60 and 8-10 MeV electron beam radiotherapy to the primary tumor and the entire neck. Twelve stage III-IV patients received three courses of chemotherapy using bleomycin, methotrexate, and cisplatin (BMP) prior to definitive radiotherapy. The following 5-yr actuarial survival figures were achieved: all patients, 42%; stage I-II, 63%; stage III-IV, 37%; Arabs, 53%, non-Ashkenazi Jews, 47%; Ashkenazi Jews, 22%; BMP+radiotherapy, 54%; radiotherapy alone, 42%. It is concluded that there is an ethnic-related pattern of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Northern Israel. Prognosis is better in non-Ashkenazi Jews and Arabs with early-stage lymphoepithelioma or anaplastic carcinoma, younger than 45 yr old, and receiving more than 5,500 cGy. Chemotherapy by BMP improves initial control rates with questionable benefit to long-term survival.
authors.affiliation: Northern Israel Oncology Center, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuten
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arbel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ben-Schachar
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Epelbaum
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wajsbort
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000208:ethnology; D007585:Jews; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D014542:Uridine Monophosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: C028372:1-(5'-phospho-beta-D-ribofuranosyl)barbituric acid; D014542:Uridine Monophosphate