Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in children under 15 years of age: a retrospective review of 65 patients.
BACKGROUND
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma constitutes comprises up to 5% of primary childhood cancers but literature lacks modern uniformly treated large series.


METHODS
A retrospective review was performed of sixty-five previously untreated patients younger than 16 years of age diagnosed and treated at the Ibn Rochd Centre in Casablanca between 1988 and 1992. Forty-four percent of them were stage T3 to T4 and 66% stage N2 or N3. All patients were irradiated. Prior adjuvant chemotherapy was administered in 33 patients. Thirteen patients were lost to follow-up.


RESULTS
Local control was obtained in 85% of the 52 evaluable patients. The five-year overall survival was 42% and disease-free survival 38%. Ten relapses occurred at local and/or regional sites. Six patients have distant metastases. All 24 patients with relapse or persistent disease died despite salvage therapy. Stage, histology and dose of radiation, were statistically significant prognostic variables. Patients treated with chemotherapy followed by irradiation had a better outcome than those treated with radiation alone.


CONCLUSIONS
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in children is a rare chemosensitive tumor. However, conclusive treatment guidelines cannot be drawn from this series and prospective co-operative studies are needed for the development of more effective and less toxic therapeutic strategies.
Sahraoui
S
S
Centre d'Oncologie IBN Rochd, Casablanca, Maroc. ssahraoui@pfizer.co.ma
Acharki
A
A
Benider
A
A
Bouras
N
N
Kahlain
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D015996:Survival Rate