Delayed post-irradiation bulbar palsy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
In a hospital series of 70 patients on follow-up after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, 14 patients (20%) developed delayed post-irradiation bulbar palsy 1 to 18 years after radiotherapy (mean 5.5 years). Functional disability was moderate to severe. Three patients had aspiration pneumonia with one mortality. Post-irradiation bulbar palsy was a common complication and probably resulted from direct neuronal damage.
Chew
N K
NK
Division of Neurology, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Sim
B F
BF
Tan
C T
CT
Goh
K J
KJ
Ramli
N
N
Umapathi
P
P
D000328:Adult; D010244:Bulbar Palsy, Progressive / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016371:Cranial Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D013997:Time Factors